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        Introduction to campaign finance and elections
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      How to research public records

How to research public records The Federal Election Commission (FEC), in its mission to provide transparency, makes a wide range of federal campaign finance reports and other documents available for public review and inspection. This page explains what records are available and how to access them. It provides resources and guides to help the public find and explore the campaign finance filings and other documents that are on the public record.
 Research guides
          
            Accessing campaign finance information
          
            Data tutorials
 Research guides

  
  
    The FEC has a wide array of information available on the public record, such as information filed by candidates and committees, as well as information about Commission activity. Please refer to the following research guides for further assistance:Individual contributionsCandidatesPACs, parties and other committeesCommission activityElection datesCampaign finance statisticsFEC Reports on Financial Activity (Historical data from 1976 to 1994)Data tutorials
 Accessing campaign finance information

  
  
    By law, the FEC must make designations, statements, reports and notifications required to be filed with the agency available for public inspection at the Commission and on the internet within 48 hours of receipt (or 24 hours in the case of a designation, statement, report or notification filed electronically).While most reports and statements are filed electronically, those filed on paper are scanned and posted on the FEC website.
      
      OnlineThe Campaign Finance Data section of the FEC website includes:PAC, party and presidential filings: 1993 to presentHouse filings: May 1996 to presentSenate filings: May 2000 to presentFinancial summary data and downloadable databases are updated periodically and can be downloaded for use with spreadsheets and other software programs. For access to older campaign finance reports, please contact the Public Records Office.In personDocuments in the Public Records Office are open for public inspection, and may be viewed and copied from computers or microfilm. Computer indexes are used to locate the reports and cross-reference information. Aside from security screening, visitors to the office are not asked to sign in or otherwise identify themselves. The office is a fully accessible facility.
      
      Public Records OfficeFederal Election Commission 1050 First Street, NE Washington, DC
  
    Toll Free 1-800-424-9530 (menu option 2)Local202-694-1120
  
    pubrec@fec.gov
  
    202-501-0693 (Fax)
      
      Copying feesThere is a $.05 fee per page for paper and microfilm copies of reports. Many computer printouts and publications are free-of-charge. A listing of all fees is available in the Public Records Office. Payment may be made by cash, check, American Express, Mastercard or Visa. In the office, payment is made after all copies are made. Prepayment is required when ordering documents by mail. Mail requests are sent by first class U.S. mail. Requestors may arrange for shipment by a private delivery service.Restrictions on the use of FEC disclosure documentsAny information copied from such reports or statements may not be sold or used by any person for the purpose of soliciting contributions or for commercial purposes, other than using the name and address of any political committee to solicit contributions from such committee. 52 U.S.C. §30111(a)(4). Review Sale or use of contributor information for more information.State officesResearchers may also obtain campaign finance reports from state records offices. (These may also include nonfederal campaign finance reports or disclosures that may be required under state or local law and not filed with the FEC.) Nearly all of these offices participate in the Commission's State Filing Waiver Program and provide electronic access to the Commission's website in order to view federal campaign finance reports. The Public Records Office publishes the Combined Federal/State Disclosure and Election Directory, a compilation of state addresses, phone numbers, web addresses and other contact information for both federal and state disclosure offices.Refer to this list of state election offices to access information about candidates on state ballots and election results.
 Data tutorials

  
  
    Access written instructions on how to download and use .FEC files, the agency's raw data files containing campaign finance data.
      
      Locating, downloading and exporting raw data files (.fec files)
      
      File formats and column headers are included with the data files on the bulk data page. The data descriptions also include data codes. For quick reference, links to the codes are as follows:Committee type codesParty codesReport type codesTransaction type code descriptionsDisbursement category codes
      
      Learn more about the campaign finance data available from the FEC


This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public. The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.


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