Surplus funds? Carry them forward

When you start a new campaign as a candidate you may have surplus funds from a past election that you'd like to use for the new campaign.

If you're a candidate running for reelection to the same office, you may use funds from the previous election for your next election.

• If you file using ORCA, indicate carry forward funds when you set up your new campaign. You can add or modify the carry forward funds later, by clicking the Campaign Info button. Then click the pencil icon next to the carry forward cash to edit it.

If a candidate wants to use contributions from a previous race for a different office, there are some extra steps.

• Contact the last donor who donated to the old campaign and get their written permission (via email or snail mail) to use their contribution for a different office. Keep their written permission with your campaign ledger.
   
• Contact the next most recent donor, and the next, until you have permission from enough donors to equal the amount of the carryover funds that you want to use for your new campaign. If you can't get written permission from a donor, don't use that contribution for the new election campaign. Use it in one of the other ways you may legally use surplus funds.
   
• Importantly, transfers of surplus funds to a new campaign for a different office count toward contribution limits for that new campaign.  For more information, see the Public Disclosure Commission's interpretation.