Political Campaign Reports: Where To Find Filed Documents

Political campaign reports are filed and made available to the public by organizations such as the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC). The FEC, for example, provides a wide range of federal campaign finance reports and other documents for public review and inspection, including financial summary data and downloadable databases. The TEC, on the other hand, provides access to reports filed by local filers, as well as information on active PACs with current Campaign Treasurer Appointments. In addition to these, there are state-specific databases, such as the Michigan Campaign Finance Database, which provide searchable information on campaign finance. These sources offer insights into how candidates and committees raise and spend money, with the FEC, for instance, providing data on presidential, Senate, and House candidates.

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Federal Election Commission (FEC)

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency of the United States government that enforces U.S. campaign finance laws and oversees U.S. federal elections. It was established in 1974 through amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act. The commission is led by six commissioners who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The FEC makes a wide range of federal campaign finance reports and other documents available for public review and inspection. The FEC website provides resources and guides to help the public find and explore the campaign finance filings and other documents that are on the public record. The website includes information filed by candidates and committees, as well as information about Commission activity.

The Campaign Finance Data section of the FEC website includes PAC, party, and presidential filings from 1993 to the present. Financial summary data and downloadable databases are updated periodically and can be downloaded for use with spreadsheets and other software programs. The website also includes statements of organization (Form 1) containing basic information about committees, such as type, address, and treasurer.

The FEC website also allows users to search for political action and party committees by type, state or territory, treasurer, sponsor, and filing frequency. Users can also search for filings and disclosures by political organizations, as well as view financial disclosure reports filed by presidential candidates. The all-candidate summary file contains financial information for all candidates who raised or spent money during a given period, regardless of when they are up for election.

In addition to the information available on its website, the FEC also has a Public Records Office that is open to the public. This office houses documents that may be viewed and copied from computers or microfilm.

State records offices

Political campaign reports can be found in state records offices. These offices provide access to federal campaign finance reports and may also include non-federal campaign finance reports or disclosures that are required under state or local law. State records offices often participate in the Commission's State Filing Waiver Program, allowing electronic access to federal campaign finance reports.

For example, in Texas, the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) website provides access to campaign finance reports filed with the commission. These reports are available for viewing and downloading, and the website provides instructions on how to search and access the information. The TEC also outlines the requirements for filing reports, including monthly reporting periods and deadlines.

In Michigan, the Secretary of State's office maintains a searchable database of campaign finance information. This database includes information filed electronically by committees, as well as data from original paper campaign statements filed from 1997 to 2004. Starting in 2014, committees spending or receiving $5,000 or more in a calendar year are required to file electronically, making all submitted information readily available.

Texas Ethics Commission (TEC)

The Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) was established following an amendment to the Texas Constitution, approved by Texas voters on November 5, 1991. The TEC is responsible for promoting public confidence in the government and enforcing ethical standards.

The TEC has a range of functions, including serving as a repository for reports required by certain laws, interpreting and issuing advisory opinions on these laws, and processing sworn complaints filed in connection with them. The Commission also provides training for state employees and officeholders to ensure compliance with relevant laws and offers a Legal Helpline for non-binding ethics guidance.

The TEC has been the subject of some controversy, with critics alleging racial bias, arrogance, and a lack of transparency in its decision-making. There have also been concerns about the TEC's commitment to ethical standards, with allegations of dismissing substantial evidence and inconsistent rulings in campaign finance cases. The TEC has the power to impose fines for campaign finance violations, and there have been numerous instances of political aspirants and officeholders in Texas being fined for failing to file mandatory campaign finance reports.

The TEC's website provides access to various reports, including campaign finance reports filed by candidates, officeholders, and political committees. These reports are required to be filed electronically, unless an individual or entity is eligible for a statutory exemption. The website also features information on filing schedules, enforcement, and compliance, as well as an electronic filing application.

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Michigan Campaign Finance Database

Political campaign reports filed can be found on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website. The FEC provides a wide range of federal campaign finance reports and other documents available for public review and inspection. The Campaign Finance Data section of the FEC website includes PAC, party, and presidential filings from 1993 to the present.

In addition, individual states also maintain databases of campaign finance reports. For instance, Michigan maintains a Campaign Finance Searchable Database. This database includes information on candidate summary pages, independent/political PAC summary pages, and ballot question committee summary pages. The information in the database is a timely and accurate representation of the campaign statements filed with the Bureau of Elections. While most of the information in the database has been filed electronically by the committees, some of the information filed from 1997 to 2004 was key entered from the original paper campaign statements.

The Michigan Campaign Finance Searchable Database can be queried and viewed online. However, the website recommends using modern browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for the best experience. The database also provides downloadable files in a spreadsheet format.

It is important to note that the information in the database is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. In some cases, data may be incorrect or missing due to inaccuracies in the original reports submitted to the Bureau. Therefore, it is recommended to cross-reference the information with the original campaign statements on file with the Bureau. Committees may also have filed amendments or updates to their campaign statements, which may not be immediately reflected in the database.

FEC.gov

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent government agency, created by Congress in 1974. The FEC is committed to promoting transparency and participation in the democratic process. To that end, it makes a wide range of federal campaign finance reports and other documents available for public review and inspection on its website, FEC.gov.

The Campaign Finance Data section of FEC.gov includes PAC, party, and presidential filings from 1993 to the present. It also offers financial summary data, which is periodically updated and can be downloaded for use with spreadsheets and other software programs. For older campaign finance reports, users can contact the Public Records Office, which is open to the public and provides access to documents on computers or microfilm.

Additionally, users can search for specific committees by type, state or territory, treasurer, sponsor, and filing frequency. They can also access Statements of Organization (Form 1) and Statements of Candidacy (Form 2), which provide basic information about committees and individuals running for federal office, respectively.

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