MERTS Plus stands for the Michigan Electronic Reporting and Tracking System. MERTS Plus is software developed specifically to allow state level candidate, gubernatorial, political, independent, political party and ballot question committees to enter all receipt and expenditure data directly into a computer and then to submit Campaign Statements electronically via the Internet or by disk.

Starting in 2004, the Michigan Campaign Finance Act (Section 18(15) - MCL 169.218) requires state level committees that spend or receive $20,000.00 or more to file all campaign statements electronically via the Internet or disk.

Must I use Merts Plus?

Committees may opt to use MERTS Plus, or may contract with an approved system, which allows reports to be filed electronically in Michigan. Committees that currently utilize their own in house software product and wish to produce files to be submitted directly may request a copy of the file layout from the Michigan Department of State’s, Bureau of Elections. It is important to note that any program offered by an outside vendor, or created in house by a committee using the file layout, must be approved by the Bureau prior to it’s use by a committee for electronic filing. Committees are strongly advised to plan for sufficient lead time prior to an alternative program’s first use.

Vendors wishing to obtain approval from the Michigan Department of State’s Bureau of Elections for

any software products must allow 90 days for completion of certified use.

Who may use MERTS Plus?

MERTS Plus is made available to all state level committees that file with the Secretary of State:

Ø Candidate Committees

Ø Gubernatorial Committees

Ø Political and Independent Committees (PACs)

Ø Caucus Committees (State Representatives or State Senate Caucus Committees)

Ø County, Congressional District and State Central Political Party Committees

Ø Ballot Question Committees

MERTS Plus is not available for local committees. A local committee is a committee that files with a county clerk and does not file with the Michigan Department of State’s, Bureau of Elections.

Is the use of MERTS Plus mandatory?

Yes. Electronic filing is mandatory for committees that spend or receive $20,000.00 or more. Starting in 2004, the Michigan Campaign Finance Act (Section 18(15) - MCL 169.218) requires state level committees meeting this threshold to file all campaign statements electronically.

If a committee does not meet the mandatory filing threshold may it still use MERTS Plus?

Yes. The Secretary of State strongly encourages all state level committees to use MERTS to file electronically or an approved vendor system.

How does one obtain MERTS Plus software and training?

Committees wishing to obtain the MERTS Plus software may sign up on line to attend a training session in Lansing or may opt to access training online at the Merts Plus web site. Committees may view the schedule of future training sessions without registering for the software. Committees wishing to register for training are required to have filed a signed completed Statement of Organization.

Committees are provided with access to the software after having attended an approximate 2 hour training session held periodically at the Bureau of Elections office in Lansing, Michigan or after having successfully completed the online training session. Once the committee has successfully completed the training the committee will then be allowed to access and download the software from the MERTS Plus web site.

If an individual attends training for a specific committee or committee type, will the individual be allowed to register more committees without attending additional training?

Yes. For example, if an individual has attended a MERTS Plus training for a candidate committee and later wishes to keep records for a different candidate committee or a different committee type, the individual would not be required to attend additional training sessions. However, the committee’s must still submit a completed Statement of Organization form with all required signatures before the committee will be allowed to file using the MERTS Plus software.

Can I work with more than one committee on my computer?

It is acceptable to contain several committee files on one computer. Please note these files should be clearly identified to prevent confusion with other files (i.e. SmithStateRep, JonesStateSenate). A separate password for uploading reports will be required for each committee.

**This does not pertain for Gubernatorial Committees.**

Is there any security provided for data transmitted over the Internet using MERTS Plus?

Yes. Committees use a secure password to ensure that only authorized persons are able to submit campaign statements on behalf of the committee over the Internet. When the data is being transmitted over the Internet, an encryption process provides for the security of the data.

Can I view campaign statements submitted using MERTS Plus software?

Yes. Once a campaign statement has been electronically submitted to the Secretary of State, Bureau of Elections, the statement may be viewed as an image that replicates the statement as it would appear on campaign statement forms or as part of an online database. The statement can be viewed within moments of receipt by the Secretary of State, Bureau of Elections web site.

What type of computer system is required to use MERTS Plus?

In order to successfully load and use the MERTS Plus software, the following system is required:

Ø Pentium 200

Ø 64 Meg RAM

Ø Windows 95 or later

Ø An Internet connection is required if the committee wishes to file via the Internet

MERTS Plus is designed for a PC only and will not function on an Apple based/Mac computer.

What types of statements may be submitted using MERTS Plus software?

MERTS Plus may be used to submit the following types of statements:

Ø Annual Statements

Ø Pre and Post Election Statements

Ø Pre and Post Convention Statements

Ø Qualification or Non Qualification Statements (Ballot Questions)

Ø Triannual Statements (Political and Independent Committees)

Ø Quarterly Campaign Statements (Caucus Committees)

Ø Dissolution Statements

Ø Amendments to any of the statements indicated above must be submitted electronically.

Are my reports saved under different files.

No. All reports are kept within one committee file.

What types of documents cannot be submitted using MERTS Plus?

MERTS Plus cannot be used to submit:

Ø Original or amended Statement of Organization forms

Ø Amendments to campaign statements that were originally filed on paper

Ø Late Contribution Reports (However, the software may be used to print copies of specific receipt pages disclosing “late contributions” to be submitted as Late Contribution Reports on paper via fax, E-mail or any other means)

Ø Special Election Independent Expenditure Reports (PACs)

Ø 24 – Hour Reports (Caucus Committees)

Must committees required to file electronically resubmit past campaign statements filed on paper?

No. Resubmission of past reports will not be required. However, all future campaign statements (and amendments to those statements) received from committees meeting the mandatory filing requirement must be submitted electronically. Although, some data may need to be entered in order to arrive at the correct starting balance and cumulative totals for the first statement to be filed electronically.

If a committee begins using MERTS Plus, may the committee ever submit campaign statements on paper?

No. The system is not designed to accept campaign statements on paper after the committee has filed electronically. And cannot accommodate alternating electronic and paper filings under any circumstances.

A committee that qualifies for a reporting waiver need not file statements as long as it retains the waiver. A committee that qualifies and applies for dissolution will have no further filing obligations.

Will committees, required to file electronically, be assessed late filing fees if campaign statements are filed on paper?

Yes. A committee that is required under the Campaign Finance Act to submit reports electronically will be assessed the appropriate late filing fee if a report is not submitted electronically by the filing deadline. A committee required to file electronically must submit all required statements electronically via the Internet or diskette.

How does the Secretary of State define when a campaign statement has been filed electronically?

Secretary of State considers a campaign statement to have been electronically filed if it is filed over the Internet or if it is loaded onto a diskette and submitted timely to the Secretary of State, Bureau of Elections in Lansing. The file must originate from either the MERTS Plus software or a software product that has been pre approved by the Bureau of Election. Campaign statements submitted by a committee, required to file electronically, via a file from Excel or Word, E-mail, fax, or paper copies printed from MERTS Plus are not considered to have been filed electronically.

If a committee meeting the mandatory electronic filing requirements fails to submit a report electronically, a late filing fee will be assessed. Please note that an electronically filed report via the Internet is considered received when it comes in through the available port using the TCP/IP method of uploading into the specified filing server.

How does MERTS Plus work?

Once the committee has successfully loaded the software to it’s computer, a unique file (also referred to as a data set) is created for each committee. Under no circumstances would more than one committee file ever be created for any single committee. Users may work with any number of committees on a single computer, as each committee must have a unique file.

When the committee file has been created, the user may enter names and addresses of contributors, committees, vendors and other persons into a “Names Window” database. Once a person or group’s name and address information has been entered, the information will never need to be entered again. The name information may be instantly recalled whenever a receipt or expenditure transaction is keyed into the committee file. A separate report record for each campaign statement to be filed is created within the software. While working within the campaign statement, receipts and expenditures are entered into a series of entry screens. Receipts, expenditures, loans and cumulatives are all tracked by the software.

When the report is complete, the user follows a simple upload procedure to submit the report over the Internet or by diskette. A validation report automatically checks for common errors or omissions such as missing address information or excess contributions. When filing the statement over the Internet, the user will receive confirmation that it has been successfully submitted, or in the event of any difficulty, a notice to contact the Help line.

If a duplicate file is created for a committee using the software, may two or more files be combined?

No. Only one file is to be created for each committee using the MERTS Plus software. The software cannot function properly with two files for the same committee. The name and address and transaction import and export feature could be used to transfer some data from a duplicate committee. The import and export of transaction is limited to certain types of receipts and expenditures.

Does MERTS Plus allow data to be imported or cloned (copied)?

Yes. Names and addresses, as well as certain types of receipt and expenditure transactions, may be imported or cloned as indicated below. Please refer to the MERTS Manual for step by step instructions.

Does MERTS Plus allow data created with the software to be exported or copied (cloned)?

Yes. Names and addresses, as well as certain types of receipt and expenditure transactions, may be exported or cloned as indicated below. Please refer to the MERTS Manual for step by step instructions.

Does MERTS Plus allow for the one time entry of names and addresses of contributors and others into a database for recall whenever needed for future transactions?

Yes. Names and addresses (and for individuals, occupation and employer information) need only be entered one time into the names database that is created within the software via an easy to use name entry screen. Each time a record for an individual, vendor, committee or other type of entity is needed for a receipt or expenditure transaction, the user is able to select the name from the existing database for use with the transaction. Once entered, name information need not be re-entered unless it is modified to reflect a change such as a new street address.

Does MERTS Plus allow the user to sort data by various factors such as date or amount?

Yes. Within a specific window, data such as name records or receipt and expenditure records may be sorted by a variety of different factors such as name, date, zip code and other factors. When exporting transactions, the user may select the type, date range and minimum and maximum dollar amount of the transactions to be exported

Does MERTS Plus identify errors in the campaign statement?

Yes. The software identifies common errors by use of the “validation report”. This report provides a warning for common errors such as missing address information and excess contributions. This allows the user to make corrections prior to filing the statement.

What type of back up is provided in the case of lost data due to power surges, theft of computers or hard disk failures?

Committees are strongly urged to use the back-up feature within the software to create a back-up disk that will preserve the committee’s data in the event of these types of situations. The creation of a back up disk (with frequent updates) is the best guarantee against an unfortunate loss of data.

It is also recommended that the back-up disk be kept in a fire proof container away from the location of the committee computer.

If a candidate dissolves one committee, will that affect any other committees of the same person?

No. Each committee file is created separately and the dissolution of one will have no effect on the existence, or filings submitted, by any other committee of that person.

Who should the committee contact if there are questions, problems or concerns?

Questions Concerning MERTS Plus software:

MERTS Plus Technical Support may be contacted for questions concerning the use of the software:

MERTS Plus Technical Support

Telephone: (703) 749-4642

E-mail: mertstechsupport@nicusa.com

MERTS Plus Web site: www.mertsplus.com

Questions Concerning the Campaign Finance Act:

The Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections may be contacted for assistance questions concerning the Michigan Campaign Finance Act or if you would like to request a file layout:

Michigan Bureau of Elections

Telephone: (517) 373-2540

Web site: www.michigan.gov/sos

For U.S. Mail:

Post Office Box 20126

Lansing, Michigan 48901-0726

For overnight delivery services, or to visit our office:

430 West Allegan, 1^st Floor, Treasury Building

Lansing, Michigan 48901

(Revised 05/31/05)