The Collin County Observer

As a service to the Collin County voters, the Collin County Observer has posted a link to all county filed campaign finance reports beginning with the January 2010 Semi-annual Report.

In Texas candidates file two different types of reports. The Campaign Finance Report (form C/OH) lists campaign contributions, expenditures and loans. Candidates are required to file this report several times during the election season. All Texas candidates and Office holders are also required to file a Personal Financial Statement (form PFS) annually. The PFS lists the assets, holdings, liabilities and debt of the filer and spouse.

The January C/OH report covers contributions and expenditures from July 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010.

There are four kind of campaign finance filers. Only"County filers form C/OH are posted by the Observer:

1. Federal - Officeholders and candidates for Congress and the Presidency file with the Federal Elections Commission. The reports are publicly available through an on-line database here.

2. State - Texas state filers include candidates for Governor, Texas State offices, Legislator, State Senate, all Appeals Courts, District Judge, and County Party Chair. These office holders and candidates file with the Texas Ethics Commission. The reports are publicly available through an on-line database here.

3. County - County officials and candidates file with the Collin County Elections Department. County filers include, County Judge, County Commissioner, District Clerk, District Attorney, County Court at Law justices, Justices of the Peace and constables.

   The Collin County elections Department has told the Observer that it is their goal to post all campaign finance reports on-line, but they do not have a real time frame approved to do so. It is these local county reports that the Collin County Observer has posted.

4. Local - Office holders and candidates for local offices file with their respective local authority. School Board candidates file with their ISD, City Council candidates file with their city, etc. Most local filings, except in large cities, are not on-line and can only be obtained by request from the filing authority.

Personal Financial Statements for State filers are kept at the Texas Ethics Commission, but are not on-line. They can only be accessed by requesting them with an Open Records request. A copy fee is assessed for each request.

County PFS reports are kept by the Collin County Clerk, and are available by request in a personal appearance. The Observer will be requesting all local form PFS and will make them available on-line.

While campaign finance reports are kept for several years, Personal Financial Statements are destroyed annually.

The Observer tips its hat to and thanks Sharon Rowe, the Collin County Elections Administrator, and Elections Department staffer Sandy Braswell for their cooperation and assistance in helping gather all the reports as electronic files.

Bill