Becoming a Candidate
Candidates and political action committees (PACS) are responsible for ensuring their compliance with federal and state laws governing campaign finance.
Federal candidates open their committees and file their finance reports with the Federal Election Commission. Statewide and state legislative candidates open their committees and file their finance reports with the Indiana Election Division. Judicial officers, countywide, local officials and school board candidates in Monroe County open their finance committees and file their campaign finance reports with the Monroe County Voter Registration Office.
A campaign finance committee may be opened at any time by using a CFA-1.
Please Note: do not confuse opening a campaign finance committee - whether it's an exploratory committee or a candidate's principal committee - with filing your declaration of candidacy.
These are two separate and distinct actions. Opening a campaign finance committee means you have committed to raising or spending the threshold amount under state law triggering the filing of campaign finance reports. Once the committee is opened, the campaign finance reporting schedule must be followed until the committee is closed.
The candidate filing period occurs at very specific times each election cycle and requires candidates to file specific forms for their name to appear on the ballot in a primary or general election. Again, do not confuse opening a campaign finance committee with filing a declaration of candidacy. The former means money is being raised and/or spent to seek the office; the latter is a request for a name to appear on the ballot.
If there is an open committee for an office that is on the ballot in the current election cycle, please refer to the 2023 Indiana Election Calendar appropriate campaign finance deadlines. If there is an open committee for an office but it is not on the ballot in the current election cycle, only the annual CFA-4 report is due.
Check out the Indiana Campaign Finance Manual. It gives greater insight to all these details.
Monroe County candidates and those political action committees required to file with the Monroe County Election Board can file their report in on of the following ways:
- Mail - 401 W 7th St, Ste 100, Bloomington, IN 47404
- Hand-Deliver(during regular business hours) - 401 W 7th St, Ste 100, Bloomington, IN 47404
- Fax - 812-330-6460
- On-line, call 812-349-2690 for more information
Though deadline dates may vary throughout the year, campaign finance filing dates close promptly at NOON (12PM) on the deadline day. Open committees that do not timely file are subject to a $50 a day fine, which begins at 12:01 PM on the deadline date, up to a maximum of $1,000. Committees are notified of any fines accrued as a result of non-compliance with the deadline. Committees can choose to pay their fines in the full amount, reach a settlement agreement with the Monroe County Election Board or ask the board to waive their fines by attending the Monroe County Election Board meeting where these hearings are scheduled.
Please note: This information is not intended to be or replace legal advice. Whenever your important legal rights are at issue, please seek the advice of an attorney.
CANDIDATES FROM BLOOMINGTON AND ELLETTSVILLE CANDIDATE FORMS 2026
Candidate Filing Forms
CAN-12: Statement of Economic Interests for Local and School Board Offices
CAN-2: Declaration of Candidacy for Primary Election in 2026
CAN-10: 2026 Primary Election Candidate Withdraw
CAN-24: 2026 General Election Candidate Withdraw
CAN-37: Declaration of Candidacy for Precinct Committeeman or State Convention Delegate
CFA-1: Candidate’s Statement of Organization and Designation of Principal Committee of Exploratory Committee
CFA-4: Report of Receipts and Expenditures of a Political Committee
CFA-11: Supplemental “Large Contribution” Report by Candidate’s Committee
Political Signs & Disclaimer Brochure
2026 Indiana Election Calendar
School Board Candidate Filing Forms
CAN-12: Statement of Economic Interests for Local and School Board Offices
CAN-34: Petition of Nomination and Consent for School Board Office Elected in 2026
CAN-24: 2026 General Election Candidate Withdraw
CFA-1: Candidate’s Statement of Organization and Designation of Principal Committee of Exploratory Committee
CFA-11: Supplemental “Large Contribution” Report by Candidate’s Committee
Political Signs & Disclaimer Brochure
2026 Indiana Election Calendar
Libertarian Candidate Filing Forms
CAN-12: Statement of Economic Interests for Local and School Board Offices
CAN-22: Party Chairman Certification of Libertarian Party Nominees for County and Large Town Offices and Candidates' Consent to Nomination, 2023. Candidate fills out first part of CAN-22 and then gives to party Chair and Secretary.
CFA-1: Candidate’s Statement of Organization and Designation of Principal Committee of Exploratory Committee
CFA-4: Report of Receipts and Expenditures of a Political Committee
Political Signs & Disclaimer Brochure
2026 Indiana Election Calendar
Independent Candidate Filing Forms
CAN-12: Statement of Economic Interests for Local and School Board
CAN-20: Consent of Independent or Minor Political Party Candidate Nominated by Petition for Election in 2026
CAN-21: Local Office Petition of Nomination in 2026 General Election
CFA-1: Candidate’s Statement of Organization and Designation of Principal Committee of Exploratory
CFA-4: Report of Receipts and Expenditures of a Political Committee
CFA-11: Supplemental “Large Contribution” Report by Candidate’s Committee
Political Signs & Disclaimer Brochure
2026 Indiana Election Calendar
Write-In Candidate Filing Forms
CAN-12: Statement of Economic Interests for Local and School Board
CAN-3: Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate in 2026
CAN-24: 2026 General Election Candidate Withdraw
CAN-26: Declaration of Intent to be a School Board Write-In Candidate
CFA-1: Candidate’s Statement of Organization and Designation of Principal Committee of Exploratory
CFA-4: Report of Receipts and Expenditures of a Political Committee
CFA-11: Supplemental “Large Contribution” Report by Candidate’s Committee