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# Coordinated communications periods: congressional primaries (2020)

When a person pays for a communication that is coordinated with a candidate, a candidate’s authorized committee, or their agents, or a political party committee or its agents, the communication is considered an in-kind contribution to that candidate or party committee and is subject to the limits, prohibitions and reporting requirements of the federal campaign finance law. FEC regulations establish a three-prong test to determine whether a communication is coordinated. All three prongs of the test—payment, content and conduct—must be met for a communication to be deemed coordinated and thus an in-kind contribution.

One provision identifies certain pre-election time frames during which a public communication that references a candidate will satisfy the content prong of the coordination test.

The following chart provides a breakdown of the 90-day coordinated communications (CC) periods for the 2020 congressional primaries.

**NOTE**: For communications that refer to both a party and a clearly identified federal candidate please consult the regulations at 11 CFR 109.21(c)(4)(i)-(iv).

**Related pages:**
        - CC periods - main page (2020)
        - CC periods for presidential primaries (2020)
        - CC periods for national party nominating conventions (2020)
        - CC periods for congressional general election (2020)
        - CC periods for special elections (2020-21)

## Coordinated communications periods for congressional primaries1

| State & type of election                                                                  | Election date   | CC period (90-days priorthrough election date) |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|------------------------------------------------|
| Alabama Primary*                                                                          | 03/03/2020      | 12/04/2019 - 03/03/2020                        |
| Alabama Runoff*                                                                           | 07/14/20202     | 04/15/2020 - 07/14/2020                        |
| Alaska Primary*                                                                           | 08/18/2020      | 05/20/2020 - 08/18/2020                        |
| American Samoa General                                                                    | 11/03/2020      | 08/05/2020 - 11/03/2020                        |
| Arizona Primary *                                                                         | 08/04/2020      | 05/06/2020 - 08/04/2020                        |
| Arkansas Primary*                                                                         | 03/03/2020      | 12/04/2019 - 03/03/2020                        |
| Arkansas Runoff*(NOT HELD)                                                                | 03/31/2020      | 01/01/2020 - 03/31/2020                        |
| California Primary                                                                        | 03/03/2020      | 12/04/2019 - 03/03/2020                        |
| Colorado Primary*                                                                         | 06/30/2020      | 04/01/2020 - 06/30/2020                        |
| Connecticut Primary                                                                       | 08/11/20203     | 05/13/2020 - 08/11/2020                        |
| Connecticut Convention - Democratic Party                                                 | 05/11/20203     | 02/11/2020 - 05/11/2020                        |
| Connecticut Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 1]                                     | 05/07/20203     | 02/07/2020 - 05/07/2020                        |
| Connecticut Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 2]                                     | 05/11/20203     | 02/11/2020 - 05/11/2020                        |
| Connecticut Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 3]                                     | 05/12/20203     | 02/12/2020 - 05/12/2020                        |
| Connecticut Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 4]                                     | 05/13/20203     | 02/13/2020 - 05/13/2020                        |
| Connecticut Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 5]                                     | 05/14/20203     | 02/14/2020 - 05/14/2020                        |
| Delaware Primary*                                                                         | 09/15/2020      | 06/17/2020 - 09/15/2020                        |
| District of Columbia Primary                                                              | 06/02/2020      | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| Florida Primary                                                                           | 08/18/2020      | 05/20/2020 - 08/18/2020                        |
| Georgia Primary*                                                                          | 06/09/20204     | 03/11/2020 - 06/09/2020                        |
| Georgia Runoff*                                                                           | 08/11/20205     | 05/13/2020 - 08/11/2020                        |
| Georgia General Runoff*                                                                   | 01/05/2021      | 10/07/2020 - 01/05/2021                        |
| Guam Primary                                                                              | canceled6       | n/a                                            |
| Guam General Runoff                                                                       | 11/17/2020      | 08/19/2020 - 11/17/2020                        |
| Hawaii Primary                                                                            | 08/08/2020      | 05/10/2020 - 08/08/2020                        |
| Idaho Primary*                                                                            | 06/02/20207     | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| Illinois Primary*                                                                         | 03/17/2020      | 12/18/2019 - 03/17/2020                        |
| Indiana Primary                                                                           | 06/02/20203,8   | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| Indiana Convention - Libertarian Party                                                    | 03/07/20203     | 12/08/2019 - 03/07/2020                        |
| Iowa Primary*                                                                             | 06/02/2020      | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| Kansas Primary*                                                                           | 08/04/20203     | 05/06/2020 - 08/04/2020                        |
| Kansas Convention - Libertarian Party*                                                    | 04/18/20203     | 01/19/2020 - 04/18/2020                        |
| Kentucky Primary*                                                                         | 06/23/20209     | 03/25/2020 - 06/23/2020                        |
| Louisiana Primary*                                                                        | 07/24/202010,11 | 04/25/2020 - 07/24/2020                        |
| Louisiana General*                                                                        | 11/03/202010    | 08/05/2020 - 11/03/2020                        |
| Louisiana General Runoff*                                                                 | 12/05/202010    | 09/06/2020 - 12/05/2020                        |
| Maine Primary*                                                                            | 07/14/202012    | 04/15/2020 - 07/14/2020                        |
| Maryland Primary                                                                          | 06/02/20203,13  | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| Massachusetts Primary*                                                                    | 09/01/2020      | 06/03/2020 - 09/01/2020                        |
| Michigan Primary*                                                                         | 08/04/20203     | 05/06/2020 - 08/04/2020                        |
| Michigan Convention - Green Party*                                                        | 06/20/20203     | 03/22/2020 - 06/20/2020                        |
| Michigan Convention - Libertarian Party*                                                  | 07/18/20203     | 04/19/2020 - 07/18/2020                        |
| Michigan Convention - US Taxpayers Party*                                                 | 07/25/20203     | 04/26/2020 - 07/25/2020                        |
| Minnesota Primary*                                                                        | 08/11/2020      | 05/13/2020 - 08/11/2020                        |
| Mississippi Primary*                                                                      | 03/10/2020      | 12/11/2019 - 03/10/2020                        |
| Mississippi Runoff*                                                                       | 06/23/202014    | 03/25/2020 - 06/23/2020                        |
| Missouri Primary                                                                          | 08/04/2020      | 05/06/2020 - 08/04/2020                        |
| Montana Primary*                                                                          | 06/02/2020      | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| Nebraska Primary*                                                                         | 05/12/2020      | 02/12/2020 - 05/12/2020                        |
| Nevada Primary                                                                            | 06/09/2020      | 03/11/2020 - 06/09/2020                        |
| New Hampshire Primary*                                                                    | 09/08/2020      | 06/10/2020 - 09/08/2020                        |
| New Jersey Primary*                                                                       | 07/07/202015    | 04/08/2020 - 07/07/2020                        |
| New Mexico Primary*                                                                       | 06/02/2020      | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| New York Primary                                                                          | 06/23/2020      | 03/25/2020 - 06/23/2020                        |
| North Carolina Primary*                                                                   | 03/03/2020      | 12/04/2019 - 03/03/2020                        |
| North Carolina Runoff*                                                                    | 06/23/202016    | 03/25/2020 - 06/23/2020                        |
| North Dakota Primary                                                                      | 06/09/2020      | 03/11/2020 - 06/09/2020                        |
| Northern Mariana Islands                                                                  | 11/03/2020      | 08/05/2020 - 11/03/2020                        |
| Ohio Primary                                                                              | 04/28/202017    | 01/29/2020 - 04/28/2020                        |
| Oklahoma Primary*                                                                         | 06/30/2020      | 04/01/2020 - 06/30/2020                        |
| Oklahoma Runoff*                                                                          | 08/25/2020      | 05/27/2020 - 08/25/2020                        |
| Oregon Primary*                                                                           | 05/19/20203     | 02/19/2020 - 05/19/2020                        |
| Oregon Convention - Libertarian Party*                                                    | 07/06/20203     | 04/07/2020 - 07/06/2020                        |
| Oregon Convention - Pacific Green Party*                                                  | 06/06/20203     | 03/08/2020 - 06/06/2020                        |
| Pennsylvania Primary                                                                      | 06/02/202018    | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| Puerto Rico Primary                                                                       | 08/09/202019    | 05/11/2020 - 08/09/2020                        |
| Rhode Island Primary*                                                                     | 09/08/2020      | 06/10/2020 - 09/08/2020                        |
| South Carolina Primary*                                                                   | 06/09/20203     | 03/11/2020 - 06/09/2020                        |
| South Carolina Runoff*(NOT HELD)                                                          | 06/23/2020      | 03/25/2020 - 06/23/2020                        |
| South Carolina Convention - Alliance Party*                                               | 04/18/20203     | 01/19/2020 - 04/18/2020                        |
| South Carolina Convention - Constitution Party*                                           | 04/18/20203     | 01/19/2020 - 04/18/2020                        |
| South Carolina Convention - Libertarian Party*                                            | 06/13/20203     | 03/15/2020 - 06/13/2020                        |
| South Dakota Primary*                                                                     | 06/02/2020      | 03/04/2020 - 06/02/2020                        |
| South Dakota Runoff*                                                                      | 08/11/2020      | 05/13/2020 - 08/11/2020                        |
| South Dakota Convention - Libertarian Party*                                              | 05/09/2020      | 02/09/2020 - 05/09/2020                        |
| Tennessee Primary*                                                                        | 08/06/2020      | 05/08/2020 - 08/06/2020                        |
| Texas Primary*                                                                            | 03/03/20203     | 12/04/2019 - 03/03/2020                        |
| Texas Runoff*                                                                             | 07/14/202020    | 04/15/2020 - 07/14/2020                        |
| Texas Convention - Green Party Senate*                                                    | 04/18/20203     | 01/19/2020 - 04/18/2020                        |
| Texas Convention - Libertarian Party Senate*                                              | 08/01/20203,21  | 05/03/2020 - 08/01/2020                        |
| Texas Convention - Minor Party Single-County [Dist. #s 2-3, 7, 16, 18, 20, 29, 30]        | 03/14/20203     | 12/15/2019 - 03/14/2020                        |
| Texas Convention - Minor Party Multi-County [Dist. #s 1, 4-6, 8-15, 17, 19, 21-28, 31-36] | 03/21/20203     | 12/22/2019 - 03/21/2020                        |
| Texas Convention -Republican Party [Dist. #4]                                             | 08/08/20203     | 05/10/2020 - 08/08/2020                        |
| Utah Primary                                                                              | 06/30/20203     | 04/01/2020 - 06/30/2020                        |
| Utah Convention - Constitution Party                                                      | 04/15/20203     | 01/16/2020 - 04/15/2020                        |
| Utah Convention - Democratic Party                                                        | 04/25/20203     | 01/26/2020 - 04/25/2020                        |
| Utah Convention - Libertarian Party                                                       | 04/25/20203     | 01/26/2020 - 04/25/2020                        |
| Utah Convention - Republican Party                                                        | 04/25/20203     | 01/26/2020 - 04/25/2020                        |
| Utah Convention - United Utah Party                                                       | 04/18/20203     | 01/19/2020 - 04/18/2020                        |
| Vermont Primary                                                                           | 08/11/2020      | 05/13/2020 - 08/11/2020                        |
| Virgin Islands Primary                                                                    | 08/01/2020      | 05/03/2020 - 08/01/2020                        |
| Virgin Islands General Runoff(NOT HELD)                                                   | 11/17/2020      | 08/19/2020 - 11/17/2020                        |
| Virginia Primary*                                                                         | 06/23/20203,22  | 03/25/2020 - 06/23/2020                        |
| Virginia Convention - Democratic Party [Dist. # 9]*                                       | 05/02/20203     | 02/02/2020 - 05/02/2020                        |
| Virginia Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 4]*                                       | 06/27/20203,23  | 03/29/2020 - 06/27/2020                        |
| Virginia Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 5]*                                       | 06/13/20203,24  | 03/15/2020 - 06/13/2020                        |
| Virginia Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 7]*                                       | 07/18/20203,25  | 04/19/2020 - 07/18/2020                        |
| Virginia Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 8]*                                       | 05/30/20203     | 03/01/2020 - 05/30/2020                        |
| Virginia Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 10]*                                      | 06/20/20203,26  | 03/22/2020 - 06/20/2020                        |
| Virginia Convention - Republican Party [Dist. # 11]*                                      | 06/20/20203,27  | 03/22/2020 - 06/20/2020                        |
| Washington Primary                                                                        | 08/04/2020      | 05/06/2020 - 08/04/2020                        |
| West Virginia Primary*                                                                    | 06/09/20203,28  | 03/11/2020 - 06/09/2020                        |
| West Virginia Convention - Libertarian Party*                                             | 04/04/20203     | 01/05/2020 - 04/04/2020                        |
| West Virginia Convention - Mountain Party*                                                | 06/06/20203     | 03/08/2020 - 06/06/2020                        |
| Wisconsin Primary                                                                         | 08/11/2020      | 05/13/2020 - 08/11/2020                        |
| Wyoming Primary*                                                                          | 08/18/2020      | 05/20/2020 - 08/18/2020                        |

#### Legal citations

Regulations

11 CFR 100.2(c)*Elections*

11 CFR 109.21(c)(4)*What is a “coordinated communication”?*

Advisory Opinions

AO 2000-29*Determining number of Louisiana federal elections*

This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public.

The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.