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? | 0/10.0% | No candidate sections returned by FTS. | no FTS match 2026-05-19 |
| CONT.2Independent expenditure rulesAre independent-expenditure rules (third-party spending separate from candidate committees) codified in statute? | 1/1100.0% | § 16.1-08.1-03.7 codifies independent-expenditure rules for political committees that register under federal law: must file the federal report with the Secretary of State at time of federal filing, including ultimate source of funds over $200. § 16.1-08.1-03.5 codifies corporate contributions/expenditures. § 16.1-10-04.1 codifies disclosure on political advertisements. § 16.1-08.1-03.2 codifies committee/candidate registration. | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| 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 2026-05-19 |
Disclosure
60.0% · 3/5| 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? | 1/1100.0% | § 16.1-08.1-02.3 codifies the statutory itemized-disclosure threshold of $200 aggregate per reporting period for candidates / candidate committees / multicandidate committees / non-statewide political parties. § 16.1-08.1-02.4 codifies parallel for statewide political parties. § 16.1-08.1-06.2 codifies CPI-indexed adjustment by Secretary of State (annual $10 threshold change). Disclosure threshold statutorily codified. “For each aggregated contribution from a contributor which totals in excess of two hundred dollars received during the reporting period:” | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| 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 2026-05-19 |
| DISC.3Disclosure of contributor identityDoes statute require contributor name, address, occupation, and employer be disclosed for contributions above the threshold? | 2/2100.0% | § 16.1-08.1-02.3 codifies disclosure of contributor name + mailing address + total + date for each aggregated contribution >$200. § 16.1-08.1-03.14 codifies conduit-disclosure with name, address, occupation, employer, and principal place of business for contributors of $5,000+. § 16.1-08.1-03.1 codifies special requirements. Comprehensive contributor-identity disclosure codified. | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| 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 2026-05-19 |
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% | § 16.1-08.1-04.1 codifies personal-use prohibition with Secretary of State audit authority on substantial-violation belief. § 16.1-08.1-03.3 codifies corporate-contribution prohibition. Penalty schedule codified though specific dollar amounts live partly in regulation; primary penalties per § 16.1-08.1-05 (SoS audit) and § 16.1-10 (corrupt practices). | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| 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% | § 16.1-09-02 codifies statement-of-interest filing (financial disclosure for elected officials/candidates). § 16.1-08.1-01 codifies CF definitions. Secretary of State is the enforcement body (partisan-elected statewide officer). Enforcement independence is partial — SoS oversight is codified but the SoS is itself politically elected. | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| ENF.3Private right of actionDoes statute provide a private right of action (citizen or party suit) for campaign-finance violations? | 1/1100.0% | § 16.1-16-06 codifies private right of action for election contests, tried as civil actions in district court within 10 days of filing. § 16.1-16-04 codifies time-for-action. Private right of action for election-related disputes codified. “Election contest actions must be tried as civil actions to the court without a jury. The district court shall set the hearing on the contest action not more than ten days after the filing of the contest answer.” | § view source 2026-05-19 |
Foreign Source
75.0% · 3/4| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOR.1Foreign-source prohibitionIs direct foreign contribution to a candidate or campaign committee prohibited by statute? | 1/1100.0% | § 16.1-08.1-03.15 codifies an explicit foreign-funding prohibition with comprehensive definition of 'foreign national' (foreign government, foreign political party, foreign corporation, foreign citizen, non-resident non-citizen). Both contributions AND expenditures prohibited, directly and indirectly. Solicitation/acceptance also prohibited per subsection 2. “A foreign national may not make or offer to make, directly or indirectly, a contribution or expenditure in connection with any election.” | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| 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% | § 16.1-08.1-03.15 explicitly covers both DIRECT and INDIRECT foreign-source channels: 'may not make or offer to make, directly or indirectly, a contribution or expenditure'. Subsection 2 prohibits soliciting/accepting/receiving 'directly or indirectly' a contribution from a foreign national. § 16.1-10-06.1 codifies prohibited payment for election-related activities. Indirect/pass-through channels expressly addressed. “directly or indirectly” | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| 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 2026-05-19 |
Traceability
25.0% · 1/2| 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? | 0.5/150.0% | § 16.1-08.1-03.3 codifies corporate-contribution prohibition with record-keeping implication. § 16.1-08.1-02.3/02.4 codify statement contents requiring records of all contributions. Records-retention period is not directly codified for the statutory minimum but is implicit in the filing/audit framework. | § view source 2026-05-19 |
| 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 2026-05-19 |