Ohio Campaign Finance Report (Cover Page) — Form 30-A

This form has been designed so that candidates' campaign committees, legislative campaign committees, political action committees (PACs), political contributing entities (PCE) and political parties all use the same form.

Cover pages identify who filed the report and what reporting period is covered. They also summarize the details inside the report. Do not use the cover page as a substitute for listing information on the appropriate form. For example, do not explain about receiving interest on the cover page; report the interest on the Other Income form. Candidates who qualify may file a Cover Page only report per R.C. 3517.10(H).

The registration number of a statewide PAC should appear on each report, addendum or piece of correspondence.

The State block should be completed with the U.S. Post Office's standard two-letter abbreviation. For example, Ohio would appear as OH.

The Date block should be completed with six digits. For example, March 9, 2005, would appear as 03 09 05.

The Amended Report box should be marked “Yes” only if the report is being filed to correct, add to, or in some way change a report that has already been filed. Do not combine a correction report (addendum) with an original filing. For example, do not attach canceled check copies from a prior report to a subsequent report.

The Report Electronically Filed box should be marked if the report was filed electronically.

The cover page is the means by which a committee may terminate. If the committee has no debts, no loans and no balance on hand, and the committee wishes to close, mark the box next to the word “termination.”

Only statewide candidates file monthly reports. They do so only in the year in which they run for election. The first report filed by a committee should reflect a zero on line 1 (amount brought forward). Otherwise, line 1 should be the same amount that appeared on line 6 (ending balance on hand) of the last previously filed report. Do not list a different amount with an explanation. Any discrepancy between the last ending balance and the current amount brought forward must be accounted for by an addendum. The ending balance on hand should not be a negative number. This would indicate that your committee has spent more funds than it has received.

The monetary totals on Lines 1 through 6 should include only contribution, expenditure and loan activity that transpired through the committee's separate bank account(s).

A candidate's report must be signed by the treasurer or deputy treasurer. If a treasurer was not appointed, the candidate is the treasurer. It may be helpful to designate a deputy treasurer in the event that the treasurer is not available to sign the report at the time of a filing deadline. The candidate cannot sign the report unless he or she is the treasurer or deputy treasurer [R.C. 3517.081, 3517.10(C), (D)].

PAC, PCE political party and legislative campaign committee reports must be signed by either a treasurer or deputy treasurer.

The original signature of the treasurer or deputy treasurer must appear.

Electronic Filing Entities Only - State PACs, state PCEs, political parties, legislative campaign committees and campaign committees of general assembly and judge of a court of appeals candidates must list on line 13, the sum of lines 2, 7 and the amount of any new loans received this period. This calculation is necessary to determine the amount of total contributions for purposes of deciding if a committee has reached the electronic filing thresholds in R.C. 3517.106.

Cover Page numbering guide
Contribution pages - Forms 31-A, 31-E, 31-J-1, 31-G, 30-C, 31-P, 31-R, 31-T
Expenditure pages - Forms 31-B, 31-F, 31-J-2, 31-I, 31-M, 31-U
Other pages - Forms 30-A, 31-C, 31-N, 31-K

Receipt pages are not included in the Total Pages. The pages of the report should be numbered consecutively in the top right corner with the Cover as page one.