Federal Election Compliance Checklist

Before the Writ Drops

• Register as an official candidate with Elections Canada
• Appoint an official agent (required by law)
• Open a dedicated campaign bank account
• Understand your spending limits for your riding
• Review contribution limits for the current year

During the Campaign

Financial Management - [ ] Track all contributions with full donor information - [ ] Issue tax receipts for all contributions - [ ] Track all election expenses against your spending limit - [ ] Keep receipts for every expense over $50 - [ ] Maintain a daily record of contributions and expenses

Advertising - [ ] Include proper authorization tag on all advertising ("Authorized by the official agent of [candidate]") - [ ] Track advertising expenses separately (they count toward your limit) - [ ] Comply with blackout periods for broadcast advertising - [ ] Remove campaign signs within the required timeframe after election day

Reporting - [ ] Report any single contribution over $200 to Elections Canada - [ ] Track in-kind contributions at fair market value - [ ] Document all volunteer activities (volunteer labour is exempt from spending limits)

After the Election

• File your Electoral Campaign Return within 4 months of election day
• Include all financial statements and supporting documents
• Return or dispose of surplus campaign funds as required
• Retain financial records for at least 6 years

Common Pitfalls

• Missing the filing deadline: Automatic penalties and potential loss of deposit
• Exceeding spending limits: Can result in charges under the Canada Elections Act
• Accepting prohibited contributions: Corporate and union donations are illegal at the federal level
• Incomplete record-keeping: Makes the audit process much harder

RidingDesk tracks all of this automatically, with alerts when you approach limits and export reports formatted for Elections Canada.