Review of First Quarter Report Most of the First Quarter Reports have been received, and a preliminary review has been completed. As the election year progresses we hope to provide more information to treasurers on the correct way to complete these reports. There has been some confusion as to the correct information to show on the first line of the Detailed Summary Page of Receipts and Disbursements. This line should report the balance on hand at the beginning of the cycle for 1998 elections. For candidates and committees that organized at any point during 1997 or 1998 the date should be changed to show the first date you had activity and the amount under the This Election column will be zero.
All new campaigns start with a zero balance.
For candidates and committees who were organized prior to 1997 the date will be January 1 of the year after the last election for the office, and the balance under the This Election column will be the bank balance as of January 1 of that year. The information shown on this line will be the same for all reports filed through December 31, 1998. The Detailed Summary Page of Receipts and Disbursements provides a monetary breakdown of the types of receipts and disbursements shown on the report. It is now called This Election. In changing this term it was hoped that this would cause treasurers to think in terms of the full election, and not just on a calendar year basis.