ECIElection Campaign-Finance Index
How well is money in politics regulated and disclosed?
Dimensions
Contributions
33.3% · 1/3| 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? | 1/1100.0% | § 211A.12 codifies statutory contribution limits for local candidates/committees: $600 (election year) / $250 (other years) per contributor, rising to $1,000 / $250 for offices serving populations over 100,000. Statewide contribution limits live in chapter 10A (separate). Comprehensive statutory contribution-limit framework codified. “A candidate or committee may not accept aggregate contributions made or delivered by an individual or an association, a political committee, political fund, or political party unit in excess of $600 in an election year for the office sought and $250 in other years” | § view source 2026-05-20 |
| CONT.2Independent expenditure rulesAre independent-expenditure rules (third-party spending separate from candidate committees) codified in statute? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-20 |
| 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 2026-05-20 |
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 2026-05-20 |
| 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 2026-05-20 |
| 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 2026-05-20 |
| 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 2026-05-20 |
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% | § 211B.32 codifies the complaints process for unfair campaign practices (violations of ch. 211A or 211B) with an administrative-remedy + exhaustion framework before the Office of Administrative Hearings. § 211B.04 codifies campaign-material disclaimer requirements with penalties. § 211B.20 codifies multiple-dwelling-access penalties. § 200.55 codifies violation-determination factors. Penalty/complaint schedule codified. | § view source 2026-05-20 |
| 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 2026-05-20 |
| ENF.3Private right of actionDoes statute provide a private right of action (citizen or party suit) for campaign-finance violations? | 1/1100.0% | § 209.021 codifies notice of contest — a private right of action for election contests, with service-of-process and timing rules (5 days after primary canvass, 7 days after general). § 211B.075 codifies penalties for voter intimidation/interference with a private-action component. Private right of action for election disputes codified. | § view source 2026-05-20 |
Foreign Source
50.0% · 2/4| 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 2026-05-20 |
| FOR.2Indirect / pass-through foreign rulesAre indirect foreign-source channels (foreign nationals via domestic entities, foreign-controlled LLCs, etc.) addressed in statute? | 2/2100.0% | § 211B.15 codifies the 'foreign-influenced corporation' category — explicitly addressing INDIRECT foreign influence by defining corporations with specified foreign-ownership stakes (single foreign owner ≥1%, aggregate foreign owners ≥5%, or foreign participation in decision-making) as barred from political spending. § 211B.13 codifies bribery/treating. Indirect / pass-through foreign rules explicitly codified. | § view source 2026-05-20 |
| 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 2026-05-20 |
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 2026-05-20 |
| 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 2026-05-20 |