Jonah Patel
Campaign donations are an important part of the political process, and in most cases, they are a matter of public record. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) collects data on federal campaigns and candidates, while organizations like the National Institute on Money in Politics provide tools to track donations to state and local campaigns. Various online resources are available to help individuals research and understand the flow of money in politics, including websites that offer searchable databases of campaign finance data. These databases allow users to explore contributions to candidates and campaigns, as well as expenditures, providing transparency and insight into the financial side of politics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Record of campaign donations | Publicly available |
| Who collects the data? | Federal Election Commission (FEC) |
| Who reports the data? | Senate, House, and presidential candidates, and any committees authorized to raise money for them |
| Who can access the data? | Anyone |
| What information is collected? | Name and address of contributor, amount contributed, aggregate amount of all contributions by contributor, and classification of contributor |
| What is not collected? | Identifiable information for donations of $50 or less |
| How can the data be accessed? | Through the FEC's searchable donor database, state campaign finance databases, or third-party websites like OpenSecrets |
| What can be searched? | Donor name, recipient, occupation, employer, zip code, contribution amount, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Using the Federal Election Commission (FEC) database
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) collects data on federal campaigns and candidates only. All Senate, House, and presidential candidates (and any committees authorized to raise money for them) must report campaign donations to the FEC. The FEC has a searchable donor database that allows users to browse by recipient or contributor and further narrow results by zip code, donor occupation, employer, contribution amount, and more.
The FEC database can be used to search candidate and committee receipt data by source, amount, and date. Individual contributions can be searched to see who is donating to candidates and committees. Contributors can be searched by name, location, employer, and occupation. The database also includes a list of PACs that are established or controlled by lobbyists or others registered with Congress for lobby disclosure.
The FEC database also allows users to search allocated federal and non-federal disbursements across committee types. This includes specific disbursement transactions disclosed to the Commission as electioneering communications, which can be searched by spender, candidate mentioned, date, or amount spent.
The FEC database contains large files with transaction-level data, which are updated daily or weekly. The all-candidate summary file contains summary financial information for all candidates who raised or spent money during the period, regardless of their election date. The committee master file contains summary financial information for each committee registered with the FEC.
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Using state-based organisations
To track campaign donations, you can utilise state-based organisations and tools that provide access to state-level campaign finance data. Here are some methods to consider:
State-Based Organisations
- National Institute on Money in Politics' FollowTheMoney.org: This website offers a tool called FollowTheMoney.org, which is specifically designed for tracking donations made to state and local campaigns. You can select your state from the map, providing an overview of state campaign finance data. Note that this website is currently integrating with OpenSecrets, so you may encounter some technical issues.
- State Campaign Finance or Election Commission Websites: Each state has its own campaign finance or election commission website, where you can search for disclosure forms and access detailed information about campaign donations. These websites often provide tools to narrow down your search, such as selecting specific races or using drop-down menus to choose your state and election cycle.
- State-Specific Tools: Certain states have developed their own tools to access state-level campaign contribution data. For example, California has Power Search, an open-source search engine that allows users to search for contributions to candidates, ballot measures, and independent expenditures within the state.
Non-Profit Organisations
In addition to state-based organisations, there are also non-profit, nonpartisan organisations that track campaign donations:
OpenSecrets (Center for Responsive Politics): OpenSecrets is a well-known organisation that has been operating since 1983. It aims to track the flow of money in American politics, providing data and analysis to strengthen democracy. You can utilise their website to trace donations to politicians and political committees at both the federal and state levels. They also offer a newsletter to help you stay informed about the influence of money on U.S. elections and public policy.
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Using OpenSecrets
OpenSecrets is a non-profit, non-partisan research group that tracks money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy. It has been operating since 1983 and is funded by a combination of grants, individual contributions, and revenue from research fees and data contracts. The platform offers free access to state and federal datasets on political contributions, expenditures, personal financial disclosures, candidate lists, and lobbying activities.
OpenSecrets provides a searchable campaign donation database that allows users to trace donations to specific campaigns or candidates. It also offers advanced search options to sort data by recipient or donor characteristics, such as occupation, employer, or zip code. The Get Local! tool enables users to select a specific state and generate reports on donations by donor, candidate, metro area, and more. Additionally, the zip code search feature allows users to narrow down donations to their neighbourhood.
The platform also includes organisation profiles that compile data on campaign contributions and lobbying activities from corporations, trade associations, labour unions, nonprofits, and other advocacy groups. OpenSecrets sheds light on the influence of "dark money" groups, which spend significant amounts on elections without disclosing their sources of funding. It also provides insights into how industries and special interest groups influence policies through lobbying and political donations.
To stay up to date with the latest information, users can sign up for the OpenSecrets newsletter, which provides weekly emails containing relevant news, data visualisations, and political finance insights. The platform aims to strengthen democracy by promoting transparency and providing accessible resources for understanding the financial side of politics.
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Using FollowTheMoney.org
FollowTheMoney.org is a tool run by the National Institute on Money in Politics. The website displays state campaign finance data through the 2024 election year. To get started, select your state of interest from the map on the homepage, which will open a new tab with an overview of that state. You can then narrow down your search by selecting the office type, such as gubernatorial or state senate, to access donation details for specific races. Alternatively, you can navigate to the Tools section and use the drop-down menus to select your state and election cycle.
While FollowTheMoney.org covers state and local campaigns, it's worth noting that it does not include federal campaigns and candidates, which are handled by the FEC (Federal Election Commission). If you're specifically interested in federal-level donations, you may want to refer directly to the FEC's database or explore other resources dedicated to tracking money in US politics, such as OpenSecrets.
OpenSecrets, formerly known as the Center for Responsive Politics, is a non-profit and non-partisan organization. It offers a comprehensive database that includes federal and state-level candidates, allowing you to trace donations to politicians and political committees. The platform provides detailed reports on spending by lobbyists, political action committees (PACs), interest groups, and other donors. You can search by recipient or donor data, including occupation, employer, or zip code. Additionally, OpenSecrets provides educational tools and resources to enhance your understanding of political finance and the influence of money in US politics.
If you're unable to find the information you're looking for on FollowTheMoney.org or OpenSecrets, you can try exploring state-based organizations dedicated to tracking money in local elections. For instance, the Virginia Public Access Project focuses on local elections in Virginia. Conducting a Google search for "campaign disclosures [state name]" can help you identify similar groups operating in your state. Additionally, you can refer directly to your state's campaign finance or election commission website to search disclosure forms and access relevant information.
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Using state campaign finance databases
OpenSecrets is a non-profit research organisation that tracks money in US politics, including campaign finance data at the state level. It provides access to state and federal datasets on political contributions, expenditures, personal financial disclosures, candidate lists, and lobbying activities. The platform offers a searchable database of officials' financial reports, allowing users to trace donations to state legislators in all 50 states. It also enables users to discover the industries and special interest groups supporting state leaders, such as governors and judicial officeholders.
OpenSecrets' Donor Lookup tool helps users follow the money trail behind political ads on social media and track the influence of money on US elections and public policy. The website provides insights into how industries and special interest groups influence policies through lobbying and political donations. It also offers educational tools and resources to enhance understanding of political finance.
Another resource for tracking state campaign finance data is FollowTheMoney.org, which provides access to state-level campaign finance information through the 2024 election. The data is sourced from state agencies and includes information on committees, travel, and personal financial disclosures.
Additionally, Power Search is a search engine that accesses raw data on state-level campaign contributions reported to the Secretary of State's CAL-ACCESS campaign finance filing and disclosure system in California. It allows users to search for contributions to candidates, ballot measures, and expenditures made to support or oppose candidates or ballot measures.
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Frequently asked questions
You can track campaign donations through the Federal Election Commission (FEC) database, which collects data on federal campaigns and candidates. However, this can be time-consuming, so you may want to try a non-profit, non-partisan organisation like OpenSecrets, which compiles detailed reports on spending by lobbyists, political action committees (PACs), interest groups, and other donors.
You can search by recipient or contributor and narrow your search by zip code, donor occupation, employer, contribution amount, and more.
The FEC only collects data on federal campaigns, so for state campaigns, you can use a tool called FollowTheMoney.org, run by the National Institute on Money in Politics. This allows you to browse state campaign finance data and narrow your search by office type.
Campaign committees must report all money received, all money spent, and all unpaid loans and debts. This includes the name and address of contributors, the amount contributed, and the aggregate amount of all contributions by that contributor.
Major donors are those who make campaign contributions of $10,000 or more in a calendar year. They are required to file campaign reports that disclose all contributions made during six-month periods. You can find a list of major donors and access their campaign reports through CAL-ACCESS.
