yes

All good here!

yes

yes

Yes I can hear you

Yes

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YES

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Yes

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Yes

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Yes

If you win the primary and have money remaining in the primary account, can that money be moved over to general?

What if you have a contested primary, but the race is non-partisan, Is that two races?

Kristen, the short answer is yes. COPP would be happy to provide specific guidance on that process if you email us- cpphelp@mt.gov. Thanks! -Scott

Thank you!

If you have no expenses or income in a month do you still file a report?

Yes

Can we get these slides emailed after this?

They are available in powerpoint and pdf on the website under the training schedule tab or latest developments tab

Just to be clear, we're not required to report donor information for donations less than $50?

Correct, however you do need to know where the contribution came from. Will address in fundraiser now

Wouldn't you be able to "refund" yourself, as long as your contributions were more than the refund amount?

You can pay back a loan to yourself anytime from the campaign account

Will you be showing us how to print a filed report, for our files?

Refund is not a way to pay yourself back

Will to Paulette

will do

Website costs paid through campaign?

Sorry but question about contributions that I just thought of and hope did not miss: If a contributor gives over ActBlue, I see on my ActBlue dashboard that they have contributed, but I have not yet received the funds, and the reporting deadline is coming up, do I report once the contributor contributes online or once I receive and deposit the funds.

Sonia- that would be considered an expenditure of the campaign, so report under the 'Expenditures' tab

Tommy- contributions would need to be reported on the report covering the period where the contributor made the contribution- Scott

Great. Thanks.

So if my social media firm works on a retainer basis, and I give them $1,000 in April, and they spend it down $250 per month in May, June and July and August, I no longer report that $1,000 expenditure in April?

David- correct. Report expenditures at the time the expenditure is made; report as a debt if the obligation is incurred but not yet paid.- Scott

If I buy business cards, for example, pay for them with campaign money, report it as an expenditure, do I NEED to upload the invoice into CERS or just keep it in my records in the event that it is needed (of course, if it is for a person that is conducting business on behalf of me as the candidate, then I realize that invoice must be uploaded).

Tommy- good question. There is no requirement to add an attachment; that function is optional (may be the easiest/best way to itemize and describe specific services provided). -Scott

Understood. Thanks.

If I pay for yard signs, do I need to spell out design, production, etc., services even if lumped together in the invoice?

Best practice would be to identify each specific service provided as part of that one expenditure- for example, describe as "design and print, yard signs".- Scott

So each expense on an invoice (multiple line items) does not need to be entered separately? The invoice total can be entered, but then the description field could show the breakdown as $XX.XX for Design Services; $XX.00 for Printing; $XX.XX for Yard Signs???

Kelly- the best advice I could give would be to itemize and describe each individual service, reporting separately if necessary. You can always add a receipt, invoice, etc. to do so. -Scott

Okay, thanks. One more questions as I'm not sure if I understood correctly... we report the expenditure date as the date we actually paid the invoice - not the date of the invoice?

Kelly- if an obligation is incurred on day X but not paid until day Y, report as a Debt, using day X as the date. DO not wait until the invoice is received to report- report when the obligation is incurred, agreed to, etc. Can estimate and amend if necessary.- Scott

Thank you

Can we unmute ourselves during Q&A sections?

We are required to retain all these records for four years, correct?

Yes

I am in a nonpartisan race with another candidate. We will be on the primary ballot, both of us will also be on the general ballot. If we are campaigning, are we campaigning for the primary or the general?

Amy- thanks for the question. If you are participating in a contested primary, report any Primary expenditures as 'Primary'; if you are not in a contested Primary, likely all activity is General election activity (the General being the only election you are participating in)

Can you repeat what attiribution is needed for social media?

Carole- paid social media (paid ads, boosted posts, etc.) activity requires the full attribution message. Organic (unpaid) social media activity does not. Hope that answers your question!- Scott

Thank you! It does.

Can we get a transcript of all the chat questions and answers that took place during this session?

David, this Zoom meeting is being recorded, I believe the chat will be available with that recording.- Scott

Scott, It would be nice to make the transcript available as a separate document along with the downloadable slide deck

Can you transfer debt from the primary to the general?

People keep calling me so I missed the discussion about attributions on signs. Is there a statute on this? thanks

Can you unmute us during Q&A sessions?

You are now able to ask questions by unmuting.

sorry, I have to go. thanks