FEC Issues Guidance On Upcoming Special Elections in New Mexico, Ohio

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission on Wednesday announced the filing schedules for upcoming special elections to fill the seats of former Reps. Debra Haaland and Marcia Fudge, both of whom have taken positions in the Biden administration.

Prior to becoming the nation’s new Interior secretary, Haaland represented New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District. The special general election to fill her vacated seat will be held on June 1.

Fudge, the nation’s new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, formerly represented Ohio’s 11th Congressional District. The special general election to fill her vacated seat will be held on Nov. 2.

Should there be a primary for the seat in Ohio, elections officials there have established Aug. 3 as the primary date.

In New Mexico, candidates running in the special election must file a series of special election reports and notices.

The pre-general election filing is due May 20, and will cover the period from April 1 through May 12.

A second filing, 48 hours before the vote and only due from the candidates’ political committees, will cover the period between May 13 and May 29.

Post-election reports, covering May 13 through June 21, must be filed by July 1.

The July quarterly filing, covering June 22-30, is due no later than July 15.

PACs and party committees that file monthly should continue to file according to their regular filing schedule, the FEC said.

Before a committee can stop filing with the FEC, it must file a termination report with the commission. Committees must continue to file reports until the commission notifies them in writing that their termination report has been accepted.

As for Ohio, the pre-primary filing, covering April 1 through July 14, is due July 22. An additional 12-day pre-general election report is due Oct. 21, and a 30-day post-general election report is due Dec. 2.

The principal campaign committee must also file 48-hour notices if any authorized committees of the candidate receive any contribution of $1,000 or more per source, during the period of July 15-31 for the primary election, and Oct. 14-30, for the general election.

Political committees not filing monthly in 2021 are subject to special election reporting if they make previously undisclosed contributions or expenditures in connection with the special primary or special general elections by the close of books for the applicable reports.

Committees filing monthly that make contributions or expenditures in connection with the Ohio special primary or special general elections will continue to file according to the monthly reporting schedule.