Set Up Your Committee with OCPF

Complete the Online Statement of Organization

  • Click here to access OCPF Online Filer Organization System that candidates and political committees use to organize their committees with OCPF.
  • Once the Statement of Organization is submitted via the OCPF Online Filer Organization System, an OCPF Auditor will be notified. If the Statement of Organization is approved, a CPF ID number will be issued, and the filer’s profile will appear on the OCPF website .

    OCPF Online Organization
  • Help Video: How to Organize Your Committee with OCPF
  • User Manual (PDF): Online Filer Organization System User Guide

Appoint a Chair and a Treasurer

The office of treasurer is vital to an organized political committee. Under the campaign finance law, no money or anything of value can be received and no expenditures or disbursements can be made by a political committee (or any person acting under the authority of or on behalf of a political committee) while it has no treasurer.

Treasurers:
  • Remain subject to all the duties and responsibilities imposed by the campaign finance law until his or her written resignation of the office is received or his or her successor's written acceptance is filed with OCPF (or the city or town clerk);
  • Authorize expenditures made on behalf of the political committee;
  • Keep detailed accounts of the campaign finance activities of the political committee;
  • Keep and preserve detailed records of the campaign finance activities of the political committee;
  • Prepare and filing required campaign finance activity reports.

Who Cannot Serve as the Treasurer of a Political Committee

Care must be taken when selecting a new treasurer for the political committee. There are restrictions on who may serve as the treasurer for a political committee organized in Massachusetts. Those who cannot serve as the treasurer of a political committee include:

  • A public employee (one who is employed by the Commonwealth, a county or a city or town.);
  • The Secretary of the Commonwealth;
  • A city or town clerk (except those that do not administer elections);
  • A member of a board of registrars of voters in any city or town;
  • A member of an election commission in any city or town;
  • A candidate may not be the treasurer of the political committee which has been organized on his behalf.

Independent expenditure PACS should also familiarize themselves with the following:

(4) Independent Expenditure PACs. A political action committee that receives contributions to make independent expenditures is an "independent expenditure PAC." Independent expenditure PACs may receive contributions from individuals without limit, and from corporations and other entities that are otherwise prohibited from contributing to PACs pursuant to M.G.L. c. 55, § 8. Any entity that raises or solicits funds for the purpose of making a contribution to an independent expenditure PAC is an independent expenditure PAC subject to all requirements applicable to independent expenditure PACs.

(a) The required content and timing of reports filed by independent expenditure PACs is defined in 970 CMR 2.17(5). Except as indicated in 970 CMR 2.17, independent expenditure PACs are subject to all other requirements that apply to other PACs.

(b) An independent expenditure PAC makes all of its expenditures without cooperating or consulting with any political committee other than another independent expenditure PAC. If an independent expenditure PAC makes coordinated expenditures with a candidate or candidate's committee, the independent expenditure PAC becomes a traditional PAC subject to the limits on contributions that may be received or made by other PACs.

(c) An independent expenditure PAC must include the words "independent expenditure political action committee" in its name.

OCPF Regulations 970 CMR 2.17(4).

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