Instructions
Who Files
A candidate for state or local office must file this form for each election for a specific office. Exception: A new Form 501 is not required for the general election or special general election if the candidate filed a Form 501 for the connected primary or special primary election for the same office sought. Candidates for county central committee that do not raise or spend $2,000 or more in a calendar year are not required to file a Form 501.
When to File
File the Form 501 before you solicit or receive any contributions or before you make expenditures from personal funds on behalf of your candidacy. This form is considered filed the date it is postmarked or hand delivered. Ensure campaign deadlines are met. Go to www.fppc.ca.gov for most campaign disclosure filing schedules or check with your local filing officer.
Where to File
State Candidates (including Judges)
Secretary of State Politcal Reform Division 1500 11th Street, Room 495 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone (916) 653-6224 For filing with a verified digital signature, please access the Secretary of State’s website for more information: www.sos.ca.gov
Local Candidates
Generally your county election office or city clerk. Electronic filing may be required.
Bank Account
A separate campaign bank account must be established for each election. A bank account is not required if a candidate will not receive any contributions and will make personal expenditures of less than $2,000 in a calendar year. A candidate who receives any contributions, regardless of personal expenditure level, must open a bank account. The filing and statement of qualification fees are not included in calculating the $2,000.
How to Complete
All candidates: Complete Parts 1 and 3. Candidates for elective state office: Complete Parts 1, 2, and 3. Exception: Candidates for an election to the California Public Employees’ Retirement Board, the State Teachers’ Retirement Board, judges, and judicial candidates do not complete Part 2.
Part 1. Candidate Information
- Enter your name and street address.
- Enter the title of the office sought, agency name, and district number if any (e.g., City Council Member, City of Smalltown, Dist. 5).
- Enter your political party preference if seeking a partisan office. For a list of qualified political parties, go to: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/political-parties/qualified-political-parties/.
- Check the appropriate box regarding the office’s jurisdiction.
- Enter the year of election.
Part 2. Voluntary Expenditure Ceiling
This section applies to certain candidates for elective state office, including State Senate and Assembly and statewide offices.
The voluntary expenditure ceiling applicable to your office is set forth in FPPC Regulation 18545. You must state whether you accept or reject the expenditure ceiling. Candidates who accept the voluntary expenditure limit will be designated in either the state voter information guide (statewide candidates) or the county voter information guide (Senate and Assembly candidates) and may purchase space for a 250-word statement there.
You may amend the Form 501 to change your acceptance or rejection of the voluntary expenditure ceiling only under the following circumstances:
– Between the date of filing an initial Form 501 for an election and the deadline for filing nomination papers for that election, you may amend your statement of acceptance or rejection of the voluntary expenditure ceiling no more than two times as long as the limit has not been exceeded.
– If you reject the voluntary expenditure ceiling in the primary or special election but do not exceed the ceiling during that election, you may amend the Form 501 to accept the expenditure ceiling for the general or special runoff election and receive all of the benefits accompanying the acceptance of the expenditure ceiling. The amended Form 501 must be filed within 14 days following the primary or special election.
Personal Funds Notification
You must disclose, if applicable, the date you contribute personal funds to your own campaign that exceed the expenditure ceiling. File an amended Form 501 within 24 hours by guaranteed overnight delivery, personal delivery, or, if applicable, by electronic means.
Part 3. Verification
The verification is signed under penalty of perjury. This form was prepared by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). For detailed information on campaign reporting requirements, see the FPPC Campaign Disclosure Manual for your type of committee.
File California Form 501
Note: This form may be submitted using an approved third-party vendor that support the standard .CAL filing format. San Francisco’s free Netfile system does not support FPPC Form 501 at this time and users of that system may choose to file the form electronically via DocuSign by using the form below.