State Loopholes

(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.

Click on a State name in the list below to view the state data:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

State and Loopholes

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
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
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
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
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
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