ECIElection Campaign-Finance Index
How well is money in politics regulated and disclosed?
Dimensions
Contributions
0.0% · 0/3| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONT.1Contribution limit framework codifiedIf contribution limits exist, are they set by statute (not administrative discretion)? If no limits, is that absence explicit in statute? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
| CONT.2Independent expenditure rulesAre independent-expenditure rules (third-party spending separate from candidate committees) codified in statute? | 0/10.0% | No section in the FTS-surfaced candidates satisfies this criterion. Best signal: § 19212 is source-code escrow for voting systems — unrelated to independent expenditure. CA's independent-expenditure framework (Gov Code 85204, 85500) wasn't ingested. | § view source 2026-05-17 |
| CONT.3Anonymous-contribution treatmentAre anonymous contributions (cash below the threshold, etc.) addressed in statute with a defined disposition (returned, forfeited, etc.)? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
Disclosure
0.0% · 0/5| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISC.1Disclosure threshold in statuteIs the disclosure threshold (amount above which contributions must be reported) defined in statute, not regulation? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
| DISC.2Enumerated filing scheduleIs the filing schedule (pre-election, post-election, quarterly, etc.) enumerated in statute with specific deadlines? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
| DISC.3Disclosure of contributor identityDoes statute require contributor name, address, occupation, and employer be disclosed for contributions above the threshold? | 0/20.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
| DISC.4Public access to filingsAre campaign-finance filings legally required to be publicly accessible online within a defined time of filing? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
Enforcement
50.0% · 2/4| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENF.1Penalty schedule codifiedAre penalties for campaign-finance violations defined in statute with specified amounts (civil) and/or criminal grades? | 1/250.0% | Cal. Elec. Code § 18350 makes false-statement-with-intent-to-mislead in campaign nomination/election a misdemeanor. § 18351 same for false candidate statements (filed under § 13307). § 18304 covers misuse of government seals in campaign literature. Statutory criminal penalties for campaign-related misconduct are codified. Civil PRA penalties live in Gov Code 91000+ which wasn't ingested — would lift this to a 2 with full corpus. | § view source 2026-05-17 |
| ENF.2Enforcement body independenceIs the enforcement body (election commission, attorney general, campaign-finance regulator) appointed by multi-branch process and protected from in-cycle political control? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
| ENF.3Private right of actionDoes statute provide a private right of action (citizen or party suit) for campaign-finance violations? | 1/1100.0% | Cal. Elec. Code § 18564.5(a) authorizes the SoS, AG, and local elections officials to bring civil actions against tampering — a multi-party enforcement scheme. Combined with PRA private-right-of-action (Gov Code 91007, not ingested) which gives ANY person standing to bring suit after 60-day administrative notice. Codified. | § view source 2026-05-17 |
Foreign Source
0.0% · 0/4| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOR.1Foreign-source prohibitionIs direct foreign contribution to a candidate or campaign committee prohibited by statute? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
| FOR.2Indirect / pass-through foreign rulesAre indirect foreign-source channels (foreign nationals via domestic entities, foreign-controlled LLCs, etc.) addressed in statute? | 0/20.0% | No section in the FTS-surfaced candidates satisfies this criterion. Best signal: § 19205 is the network-isolation requirement for voting systems — not foreign-funding pass-through rules. CA PRA covers pass-through in Gov Code 84211/84222. | § view source 2026-05-17 |
| FOR.3Foreign-source verificationAre campaign committees required by statute to verify contributors are not foreign-source (vs. relying on contributor self-attestation alone)? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
Traceability
0.0% · 0/2| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRACE.1Records-retention requirementAre campaign committees required by statute to retain records (contributor lists, expenditure documentation, bank statements) for a defined period? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |
| TRACE.2Audit accessAre campaign-committee records subject to mandatory audit (post-election random sample, threshold-triggered audit, or routine cycle) under statute? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-17 |