Refer to your election authority’s regulations for specific duties of the treasurer. Refer to the addendum specific to your election jurisdiction for additional notes. In general the committee treasurer is expected to:

• Establish a recordkeeping system that ensures that all receipts and expenditures are recorded promptly, in compliance with the election authority's recordkeeping and disclosure requirements.
• Take necessary steps to ensure all of the election authority’s requirements are met regarding receipts, expenditures, and reporting of campaign funds.
• Maintain campaign records personally or monitor records kept by others.
• Prepare campaign statements personally or carefully review campaign statements and records prepared by others.
• Correct any inaccuracies or omissions, and inquire about any information that would cause a reasonable person to question the accuracy of the campaign statements.

A wise treasurer will invest time in training the campaign staff as to the rules and regulations governing campaign disclosure, and in writing procedures.

The following contribution-related issues should be considered:

• Define monetary, non-monetary, fair market value and enforceable promises.
• Specify valid contribution amount limits.
• Specify how contribution checks are to be handled by the candidate, campaign staff, fundraiser, volunteers and finance committee.
• Specify how cash is to be handled
• Designate who will value non-monetary contributions received.
• Designate who will follow-up on missing contributor information.
• Establish a single mailing address for contribution checks – preferably not the campaign headquarters.

The following expenditure-related issues should be considered:

• Designate which individuals are authorized to incur debt on behalf of the committee.
• Designate authorized signatories on checking account.
• Decide how many signatures are required on a disbursement check.
• Designate petty cash custodian.
• Designate which individuals approve invoices for payment.
• Designate who maintains a list of payables so that accrued expenses may be determined and reported properly.

The following late reporting issues should be considered:

• Specify how contributions received in the late contribution period are to be processed so that they are reported in a timely fashion.
• Designate an individual to be responsible for the filing of Late Contribution Reports.

1. Retention of Source Documents

Campaign Craftware helps keep your data organized, but if the underlying financial source documents are disorganized or incomplete, it is difficult to maintain the integrity of the electronic database.

Generally, you’ll be required to keep copies of the following contribution, loan and other income source documents:

• Contributor checks
• Lender's checks
• Refund checks
• Cashiers checks
• Money orders
• Wire transfers

Group the copies of these documents by deposit day and in alphabetical order. Staple them to the Campaign Craftware Record of Deposit, along with the duplicate bank coded deposit slip. They should then be two-hole punched and filed chronologically in a file folder. Maintain a separate file folder for each reporting period, containing only the checks received during that reporting period.

In addition, retain any other documents related to contributions, loans or other income:

• Written notices from a contributor of the value of a non-monetary (in-kind) contribution, or other record that describes how the fair market value of a non-monetary contribution was determined.
• Letters that accompany contributions.
• Contributor information cards as completed by contributors.
• Written communications sent by the committee to obtain contributor information.
• Written contracts or other documents received reflecting receipt of an enforceable promise.
• Loan agreements.
• Promissory notes.
• Extensions of credit.
• Security agreements.
• Loan guarantees.
• Any other documents reflecting indebtedness.

Generally, you’ll be required to keep copies of source documents for all expenditures above a certain threshold amount (perhaps as low as $25.00):

• Canceled Checks
• Wire Transfers
• Bank Statements
• Bills
• Invoices
• Vendor Statements
• Receipts
• Vouchers

Attach the duplicate of the disbursement check to the invoice, statement, bill or receipt for which payment was made. These should then be two-hole punched and filed in check number or date order. Maintain a separate folder for each reporting period.

1. Mass Mailings

The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining copies of all of the committee's mass mailings. Refer to your election authority’s regulations for details on mass mailings. In California, for example, the sender must be identified by name, address, and city on the outside of the mailing and on at least one insert in at least six point type.

This is a sample of six point type.

Banking. Order the following from your bank or other source:

• The bank’s printed and coded deposit slips in duplicate, unless your bank has approved the use of the deposit slips that Campaign Craftware generates
• Checks with a carbon copy, or computer printable checks that can be filled out by Craftware
• Endorsement stamp with the Committee Name and Committee ID Number.

Equipment. In addition to your computer, these are the basics:

• Date stamp
• Copy machine
• Fax machine or computer fax card
• Two hole punch and bases
• File folders
• File folder labels
• Stapler and staple remover