Campaign Expenditures in the United States Series

collection: series

Investigator(s): Federal Election Commission

About this Collection

The Campaign Expenditures in the United States series is made available by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The series provides longitudinal data about the United States Senate or House of Representatives committees involved in federal campaign finance within an election cycle, and on each registered candidate for the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. Data are furnished on the contributions received and spent by the candidates, and the United States Congressional campaign contributions, disbursements, debts, and total expenditures for and against political candidates. The most current data are available on the FEC Web site.

Studies

24 results

Campaign Expenditures in the United States, 1995-1996: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Data

These data, comprising five separate files, are made available by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and are taken directly from campaign finance reports filed by candidates, political committees, and others required to file under the federal election laws for the 1995-1996 election cycle. Part 1, Candidate Master File, contains a record for every registered candidate for federal office. Each of these records includes the candidate's name, identification number, address, party affiliation, incumbent/challenger status, and the identification number of the candidate's principal campaign committee. Part 2, Committee Master File, includes a record for every registered political committee, unauthorized delegate filer, independent expenditure filer, and communication cost filer. Included in this file is the identification number, name, address, treasurer's name, party affiliation, report filing frequency, and special interest group category of each of these entities. Part 3, Itemized Record of Contributions to/Disbursements on Behalf of Candidates, comprises records of reported contributions to candidates and disbursements on behalf of candidates by political committees, unauthorized delegate filers, independent expenditure filers, and communication cost filers. Information in this file includes the identification number of the contributing/disbursing entity, type of report, and the date, type, and amount of each transaction. Part 4, Itemized Record of Individual/Candidate Contributions, furnishes records of receipts of contributions from individuals, from candidates to their own campaigns, and disbursements to refund contributions to individuals, as reported by candidates and their committees, other political committees, and persons making independent expenditures. Part 4 also covers the tracking of contributions that individuals earmarked for a specific candidate as they proceeded through intermediaries registered with the FEC. Information in this file includes the identification number of the filer, report type, transaction type, date and amount of the transaction, and the name, address, and occupation of the contributor. Part 5, Itemized Record of Miscellaneous Transactions, contains all transactions (contribution, transfers, etc., among federal committees), all data in the itemized committee contributions file, plus PAC contributions to party committees, party transfers from state committee to state committee, and party transfers from national committee to state committee.

Campaign Expenditures in the United States, 1999-2000: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Data

These data, comprising five separate files, are made available by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and are taken directly from campaign finance reports filed by candidates, political committees, and others required to file under the federal election laws for the 1999-2000 election cycle. Part 1, Candidate Master File, contains a record for every registered candidate for federal office. Each of these records includes the candidate's name, identification number, address, party affiliation, incumbent/challenger status, and the identification number of the candidate's principal campaign committee. Part 2, Committee Master File, includes a record for every registered political committee, unauthorized delegate filer, independent expenditure filer, and communication cost filer. Included in this file is the identification number, name, address, treasurer's name, party affiliation, report filing frequency, and special interest group category of each of these entities. Part 3, Itemized Record of Contributions to/Disbursements on Behalf of Candidates, comprises records of reported contributions to candidates and disbursements on behalf of candidates by political committees, unauthorized delegate filers, independent expenditure filers, and communication cost filers. Information in this file includes the identification number of the contributing/disbursing entity, type of report, and the date, type, and amount of each transaction. Part 4, Itemized Record of Individual/Candidate Contributions, furnishes records of receipts of contributions from individuals, from candidates to their own campaigns, and disbursements to refund contributions to individuals, as reported by candidates and their committees, other political committees, and persons making independent expenditures. Part 4 also covers the tracking of contributions that individuals earmarked for a specific candidate as they proceeded through intermediaries registered with the FEC. Information in this file includes the identification number of the filer, report type, transaction type, date and amount of the transaction, and the name, address, and occupation of the contributor. Part 5, Itemized Record of Miscellaneous Transactions, contains all transactions (contribution, transfers, etc., among federal committees), all data in the itemized committee contributions file, plus PAC contributions to party committees, party transfers from state committee to state committee, and party transfers from national committee to state committee.

Campaign Expenditures in the United States, 1981-1982

According to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (as amended), political party and non-party committees must limit their campaign spending and report their expenditures to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The information collected by the FEC outlines the party and non-party committee expenditures for each candidate supported and also presents the data by candidate and House or Senate position sought. This data collection is contained in six files. Party data are contained in two files: a spread file that contains a record for each party committee in alphabetical order by committee ID number, and a cross-tabs file that contains one or more records for each party committee, organized first by committee ID number and then by candidate ID number. Non-party and House/Senate data are also contained in a spread file and a cross-tabs file, both organized in the same manner as the party files. Candidates are designated by a candidate ID number that includes the federal office sought (coded "S" for Senate or "H" for House) and the state in which the candidate ran. Specific variables record information on total receipts and the amounts of contributions from corporations, labor organizations, membership and trade associations, and health-related organizations. Variables also detail the committees' amount of available cash, debts owed to and by organizations, amount of in-kind contributions, and expenditures.
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