(Sept. 26, 2012) The Center for Public Integrity conducted a nationwide survey of state agencies that
collect and monitor campaign finance reports. The survey focused on the reporting, filing,
public access and enforcement of campaign finance reports filed by state political party
committees.
Here is a brief summary of the loopholes in campaign finance disclosure reporting found
in every state from that report.
State and Loopholes |
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Alabama
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
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Alaska
- Not all contributions are reported
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
|
Arizona
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not review or audit filings routinely
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Arkansas
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- No expenditures are required to be itemized
- Not required to report purpose of each itemized expenditure
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Colorado
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
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Connecticut
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Delaware
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Florida
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Georgia
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Hawaii
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
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Idaho
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Illinois
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
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Indiana
- Not all contributions are reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
|
Iowa
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
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Kansas
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Kentucky
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Louisiana
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Maine
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Maryland
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Massachusetts
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Michigan
- Not all contributions are reported
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Minnesota
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Mississippi
- Not required to report purpose of each itemized expenditure
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not review or audit filings routinely
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
|
Missouri
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not review or audit filings routinely
|
Montana
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for missing filing deadline
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Nebraska
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Nevada
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not review or audit filings routinely
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
New Hampshire
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
New Jersey
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
New Mexico
- Not all contributions are reported
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
New York
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
|
North Carolina
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
|
North Dakota
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- No expenditures are required to be itemized
- Not required to report purpose of each itemized expenditure
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for missing filing deadline
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Ohio
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Oklahoma
- Not all contributions are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Oregon
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Pennsylvania
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Rhode Island
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
|
South Carolina
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
South Dakota
- Not required to report purpose of each itemized expenditure
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- State does not have auditing authority
- No penalty on the books for missing filing deadline
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Tennessee
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
|
Texas
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- State does not have auditing authority
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
|
Utah
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Vermont
- Not all contributions are reported
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not review or audit filings routinely
- No penalty on the books for missing filing deadline
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Virginia
- Not all contributions are reported
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Washington
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
West Virginia
- Not all contributions are reported
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Not all expenditures are reported
- Not required to report purpose of each itemized expenditure
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
|
Wisconsin
- No standardized categories provided for identifying contributor
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
|
Wyoming
- No itemized contributions are required to include occupation/employer
- Year-to-date aggregate contributions not reported
- Standardized expenditure purpose categories are not provided
- Not required to list candidate for in-kind expenditures
- Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Non-Election Year Filing: 0 to 1 reports per year
- Electronic filing not available
- Late (or last-minute) contribution reports not required
- Late (or last-minute) expenditure reports not required
- Paper report cost: Higher than 25 cents per page
- Late (or last-minute) reports not made public prior to election
- State does not have auditing authority
- State does not review or audit filings routinely
- No penalty on the books for missing filing deadline
- No penalty on the books for filing an incomplete report
- State does not publish list of delinquent filers
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