Effective July 1, 2022, certain tax-exempt organizations, including any organization that is tax exempt under United States Internal Revenue Service Code § 501(c)(4),(5), and/or (6) (26 USC §501(c)(4), (5), (6)), must file campaign financial disclosure reports with the Registry of Election Finance to report expenditures in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-10-105(c)(1) and (h) during the remainder of the election year if the organization 1) expends and aggregate total of at least five thousand dollars ($5,000) in organizational funds, moneys, or credits for communications that expressly contain the name or visually depict the likeness of a state candidate in a primary or general election and 2) such expenditures or communications occur within sixty (60) days immediately preceding a primary or general election in which the named or visually depicted candidate appears on the ballot.

These organizations are NOT required to report any form of contributions.These organizations are not deemed to be or defined as PACs, unless the organization’s activities otherwise meet the definition of a “political campaign committee” as defined by Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-10-102.  All filers should review the applicable campaign finance laws, rules, and regulations.

These organizations must also file an Appointment of Political Treasurer and Officers form with the Registry as soon as the organization becomes aware that it will be required to file campaign financial disclosure reports under this section. Failure to file the required campaign financial disclosure reports as required under this Public Chapter may result in the assessment of civil penalties up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

The Appointment of Political Treasurer and Officers form for Tax Exempt Organizations can be found here.

The Campaign Financial Disclosure Report form for Tax Exempt Organizations can be found here. 

For more information on when this report must be used and how to complete the report, refer to the instruction booklet found here.

The Registry is currently developing an online filing system for the Campaign Financial Disclosure Report form for Tax Exempt Organizations. The Registry’s website will be updated with this information as soon as this online filing system becomes available.

For any other questions, please contact the Registry of Election Finance at 615-741-7959 or at lauren.topping@tn.gov.