NEW HAMPSHIRE CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM

Welcome!

  This campaign finance system, which is optional for the 2008 election cycle, offers numerous advantages to candidates, political committees, and the general public seeking to file and review campaign finance information.

 The system captures the same information as the existing paper system, and is designed to be as “user friendly” as possible, with appropriate prompts to facilitate use.

 To use the system you must have a standard browser - Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.5 is recommended.  This system does not support netscape navigator.

 A User Manual has been prepared to assist you in using the system.  Click here to download the User Manual.  http://www.sos.nh.gov/CFS Training Pages/USER GUIDE.pdf      There are two parts to this user manual:

 Part I -  instructs how to register as:

·        A Candidate  (This does NOT file you as a candidate!!)

·        A Candidate Committee

·        A Political Action Committee

for the purposes of using the Campaign Finance System to record and file receipts and expenditures.

It also allows public users to have access and to view:

o       individual listings of contributors

o        filed statements of receipts and expenditures

o        list of registered committees

     Accessibility to the statements of receipts and expenditures which have been submitted is effective immediately by the filing deadlines. Since use of this system is not mandatory, many entities may not use this system.  Reports of entities NOT using this system may be viewed at    http://www.sos.nh.gov/political page.htm

PART II -  contains instruction  for those who have registered as candidates or committees.  It guides them through the  process of:

·        changing registration information

·        entering contributions

·        entering expenditures

·        amending transactions

·        filing transactions

·        viewing their own statement of receipts and expenditures

 The first step for using the CFS is to register, which will include selection of a unique user name and password.  Once registered, you can utilize this user name and password (and the unique user id number which will be assigned when you register) to access your account and enter contributions and expenditures.  This can be done on either an ongoing, “as you go” basis OR by working off-line on a downloadable template.  In either case, receipts and expenditure data will only become available to public users after the appropriate deadlines.

  Once registered, candidates, campaign committees, and political action committees should take the time to review the different aspects of the campaign finance system.

  Thank you for using this new system.  We hope that it makes registration and filing easier for candidates and committees, while also providing citizens and interested parties with improved access to this important public information.  If you have any questions please contact us at elections@sos.nh.gov