FEC deadlines are some of the few moments in a campaign when urgency is real. A report closes, the numbers become public, and reporters, donors and opponents read them. That makes each close of books a natural fundraising moment, as long as your asks use the real date.
This guide covers the 2026 federal reporting schedule for House and Senate campaigns and quarterly-filing PACs, what each report means for fundraising, and the late-cycle notices that catch campaigns off guard. It is a planning calendar, not legal advice. Confirm your own obligations with your treasurer or counsel, and check the FEC's site for any changes. State and local races follow their own state's schedule.
The 2026 calendar at a glance
The date that matters for fundraising is the close of books. Money has to arrive by then to count in the report. The filing deadline is when the report is due to the FEC.
| Report | Covers through (close of books) | Filing deadline |
|---|---|---|
| April Quarterly | March 31, 2026 | April 15, 2026 |
| July Quarterly | June 30, 2026 | July 15, 2026 |
| October Quarterly | September 30, 2026 | October 15, 2026 |
| Pre-General | October 14, 2026 | October 22, 2026 |
| Post-General | November 23, 2026 | December 3, 2026 |
| Year-End | December 31, 2026 | January 31, 2027 |
Electronic filings are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on the filing deadline. Pre-General reports sent by registered or certified mail must be postmarked by October 19.
Campaigns in a primary also file a Pre-Primary report 12 days before their state's primary or runoff, covering activity through the 20th day before it. Those dates differ by state, so put yours on the calendar as soon as your primary date is set.
Who files what
Candidate committees for the House and Senate file every report above if their candidate is on the general election ballot. Quarterly-filing PACs and party committees file the quarterlies and the Post-General, and they file a Pre-General only if they make contributions or expenditures for the general election between October 1 and 14. Monthly filers follow a separate schedule and file Pre- and Post-General reports in place of their November and December monthly reports.
The last 20 days: notices campaigns forget
Two rules start on the 20th day before the November 3 general election and run until just before Election Day.
48-hour notices for large contributions. From October 15 through October 31, a candidate committee that receives a contribution of $1,000 or more has to file a notice within 48 hours. That includes contributions from the candidate, loans, in-kind and earmarked contributions. A strong late fundraising push can trigger several of these a day, so make sure whoever files them sees new gifts daily, not at the end of the week.
24-hour reports for independent expenditures. For PACs and other groups spending independently, independent expenditures that add up to $1,000 or more for an election from October 15 through November 1 must be reported within 24 hours. Before that window, the threshold is $10,000 and the deadline is 48 hours. If your committee is running persuasion or turnout ads, the reporting has to keep pace with the media buys.
How to fundraise around each close of books
End of quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30). Quarterly totals are read as a measure of a campaign's strength, especially the last one before a primary. Start the push about 10 days out with a specific goal, give supporters a reason the total matters, and save your strongest asks for the final 48 hours. Texts do the heavy lifting at the end because they're read within minutes. Digital ads build the audience you'll text, so start them early in the push, not on the last day.
Pre-Primary and Pre-General (20 days before the election). These are the last numbers voters and press see before ballots are cast. The close of books lands when early voting is starting in many states, so the ask can connect money directly to what it pays for in the final stretch: ads, mail, and the people knocking doors.
Post-General (November 23). Winners often have bills or debt to settle, and donors who gave during the race are the people most likely to help close it out. Thank them first, then ask. Campaigns that lost still owe donors an honest account of what their money did.
Year-End (December 31). For candidates running again and for PACs, year-end totals set the tone for the next cycle. It's also a natural moment for a recurring-gift ask, since a monthly donor at the start of the year is worth twelve gifts.
Keep deadline asks honest
Real deadlines work because they're real. A text that says "midnight deadline" on a day with no deadline trains supporters to ignore the next one, and it raises unsubscribes. Use the actual close of books, say what the number will be used for, and stop asking once the deadline passes. In our texting programs, deadline sends raise about the same as other strong messages but lose fewer subscribers than generic asks. That's another reason to save the word "deadline" for the days it's true.
Make sure the numbers you report match the money you raised
A filing is only as good as the records behind it. Tag every ad and every text with its own source code on the donation link so each gift can be traced to what raised it. That makes the 48-hour notices easier, and it shows you which messages are worth repeating before the next close of books. It's how we run texting and digital ads for our clients, and it's why the numbers in our clients' dashboards tie back to individual donation records.
Planning a push for one of these dates? Book a strategy call and we'll map your program to the calendar.