DISCLOSURES
News and Tips from the Public Disclosure Commission
PDC dedicates meeting room to Jolene Unsoeld, fervent backer of campaign finance disclosure
The Public Disclosure Commission welcomed friends and family of Jolene Unsoeld, former state legislator and Congresswomen, one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Public Disclosure Commission, to a dedication of the agency’s Commission meeting room in her honor on May 28.
“She had a backbone of steel,” said former state legislator Karen Fraser. “You need to have that to work on these issues and a lot of the other big issues she worked on.”
The PDC was created in 1972 with the passage of Initiative 276. The agency is governed by a five-member board appointed by the Governor’s Office. As one of the founding members of the Coalition for Open Government, Unsoeld helped draft the initiative, and worked tirelessly for years to analyze and organize early PDC data into her well-known “Who Gave, Who Got, How Much?” publications.
Read more about Jolene Unsoeld and the PDC.
Check your reporting option, know your responsibilities
Candidates and committees must select their filing option when submitting their registrations (C-1 or C-1pc) at the start of their 2026 campaigns. Your choice will determine your reporting responsibilities this election year.
Full reporting
If you picked full-reporting, you can raise or spend an unlimited amount, and must file regular reports with the PDC. Starting June 1, contribution reports (C-3) are due each Monday.
During most months, if a campaign has more than $750 in contributions or expenditures, they must file a monthly C-4. However, reports are mandatory 21 and 7 days before the primary and general elections, and on the 10th of the following month. This year’s dates are as follows:
Primary:
- 21-day report: July 14
- 7-day report: July 28
- Post-election: Sept. 10
General
- 21-day report: Oct. 13
- 7-day report: Oct. 27
- Post-election: Dec. 10
Campaigns can switch from full- to mini-reporting at any time by amending their registration (C-1), provided they have abided by mini-reporting limits.
Mini reporting
If you picked mini reporting, you may only raise or spend up to $7,000, and accept only $500 from each contributor, other than the candidate themselves. As long as a campaign abides by those rules, it will not file regular reports with the PDC during the election cycle, but must keep detailed records of activity, which may be requested by either the PDC during an investigation of a complaint, or by the general public during a 10-day period before the primary and general elections.
Failure to abide by the limits could result in enforcement action. A campaign must file all back reports and obtain permission from the PDC before switching from mini to full reporting. This process may be time consuming, and has deadlines before the primary and general election – don’t wait until the last minute.
pdcFAQ: What are the requirements for political signs?
If your campaign plans to purchase any yard signs or billboards this election year, learn the rules first.
Sponsor ID
By law, all political signs in Washington, whether yard signs, banners or billboards, must contain information about the purchaser of that advertisement, or sponsor ID.
Sponsor ID includes the name of the purchaser and their mailing address – not an email or web address. Also referred to as a “paid for by” statement, sponsor ID must be no smaller than 10 point font, or 10 percent of the largest font used, whichever is bigger. Sponsor ID must be legible.
Older signs may be reused as long as they meet these requirements. Stickers can be used to add sponsor ID to a sign that is missing the disclaimer.
There are some exceptions to sponsor ID rules for items such as stickers, t-shirts or buttons with a printed area of 60 square inches or less.
Other types of advertising also require sponsor ID. Read more about requirements here.
Reporting
If your campaign purchases yard signs, that must be reported as an expenditure on your C-4 report for that period. Remember to include information about how many signs you purchased and the vendor that supplied them.
If the signs are purchased by a person or organization outside your campaign, you may need to report that as a campaign contribution. Contribution limits would apply. If the campaign is not aware of the sign purchase, and does not collaborate at all with the purchaser, that purchaser may need to report the expense as an independent expenditure.
Sign placement, content
The location of political signs is not under the PDC’s jurisdiction. Contact your local municipality for local rules on sign placement. The Washington state Department of Transportation regulates sign placement along state highways.
The PDC has limited authority to regulate the content of yard signs. For example, signs for a partisan office must include party affiliation, and photos use of candidates must be no more than five years old. Terminology such as “re-elect” or “incumbent” must also be used accurately. Otherwise, the content of political advertising or yard signs are not subject to the PDC’s jurisdiction.
Libelous statements made with “actual malice” are also prohibited in political advertising in Washington.
Key dates
Our filer assistance team is here for you.
- Weekly contribution (C-3) reporting for candidates and committees participating in the 2026 general election cycle begins June. 1.
- The PDC will be closed Friday, June 19 for Juneteenth.
- The PDC will be closed Friday, July 3 for Independence Day.
- The last day to switch from mini to full reporting before the primary election is June 22.
- The Public Disclosure Commission will meet for its monthly regular meeting on June 25.
- The 21-day pre-primary C-4 report is due on July 14. This report is mandatory for full-reporting candidates and committees regardless of financial activity.
- The pre-primary campaign books inspection period starts July 25 and ends Aug. 3.
- The 7-day pre-primary C-4 report is due on July 28. This report is mandatory for full-reporting candidates and committees regardless of financial activity.
- Special reporting of last minute contributions begins July 28 and ends Aug. 3.
- The primary election is on Aug. 4.
- The post-primary C-4 report is due on Sept. 10. This report is mandatory for full-reporting candidates and committees regardless of financial activity.
See all upcoming dates at the PDC’s online calendar.
For questions, email us at pdc@pdc.wa.gov
Sign up now for upcoming trainings
Do you have questions about filing or using the PDC’s online filing systems? It’s always a good time to learn more! Enroll now for free trainings coming up in the next few months.
Space in our classes fills up quick – be sure to sign up in advance.
Upcoming classes include:
- Disclosure 101: Candidates and Committees at 10 a.m. June 17, 10 a.m. July 8, 6 p.m. July 9.
- Walk-Through: Online Reporting of Campaign Activity (ORCA) at 10 a.m. June 18, 6 p.m. July 8 and 10 a.m. July 9.
Upcoming lunch and learn events include:
- Reporting expenditures (C-4) at 12 p.m. July 7
Find information about training, reporting deadlines and events on our online calendar.
See more training content on the PDC’s YouTube channel.
WA Public Disclosure Commission
711 Capitol Way, Olympia, WA 98504