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Form MCEC – Instruction Guide

EXAMPLES OF EXPENDITURES

This list is for illustrative purposes only. It is intended to provide helpful information and to assist filers in

reporting the purpose of an expenditure. However, it is not, and is not intended to be, an exhaustive or an

exclusive list of how a filer may permissibly report the purpose of an expenditure.

(1) Example: Candidate X is seeking the office of State Representative, District 2000. She purchases

an airline ticket from ABC Airlines to attend a campaign rally within District 2000. The acceptable

category for this expenditure is “travel in district.” The candidate activity that is accomplished by

making the expenditure is to attend a campaign rally. An acceptable brief statement is “airline ticket

to attend campaign event.”

(2) Example: Candidate X purchases an airline ticket to attend a campaign event outside of District

2000 but within Texas, the acceptable category is “travel out of district.” The candidate activity that

is accomplished by making the expenditure is to attend a campaign event. An acceptable brief

statement is “airline ticket to attend campaign or officeholder event.”

(3) Example: Candidate X purchases an airline ticket to attend an officeholder related seminar

outside of Texas. The acceptable method for the purpose of this expenditure is by selecting the

“travel out of district” category and completing the “Schedule T” (used to report travel outside of

Texas).

(4) Example: Candidate X contracts with an individual to do various campaign related tasks such as

work on a campaign phone bank, sign distribution, and staffing the office. The acceptable category is

“salaries/wages/contract labor.” The candidate activity that is accomplished by making the

expenditure is to compensate an individual working on the campaign. An acceptable brief statement

is “contract labor for campaign services.”

(5) Example: Officeholder X is seeking re-election and makes an expenditure to purchase a vehicle

to use for campaign purposes and permissible officeholder purposes. The acceptable category is

“transportation equipment and related expenses” and an acceptable brief description is “purchase of

campaign/officeholder vehicle.”

(6) Example: Candidate X makes an expenditure to repair a flat tire on a campaign vehicle purchased

with political funds. The acceptable category is “transportation equipment and related expenses” and

an acceptable brief description is “campaign vehicle repairs.”

(7) Example: Officeholder X purchases flowers for a constituent. The acceptable category is

“gifts/awards/memorials expense” and an acceptable brief description is “flowers for constituent.”

(8) Example: Political Committee XYZ makes a political contribution to Candidate X. The

acceptable category is “contributions/donations made by candidate/officeholder/political committee”

and an acceptable brief description is “campaign contribution.”

(9) Example: Candidate X makes an expenditure for a filing fee to get his name on the ballot. The

acceptable category is “fees” and an acceptable brief description is “candidate filing fee.”

(10) Example: Officeholder X makes an expenditure to attend a seminar related to performing a duty

or engaging in an activity in connection with the office. The acceptable category is “fees” and an

acceptable brief description is “attend officeholder seminar.”

Texas Ethics Commission

Page 24

Revised 07/28/2014

Instructions For Form Mcec - Monthly Filing County Executive Committee Campaign Finance Report Page 26