ECIElection Campaign-Finance Index
How well is money in politics regulated and disclosed?
Dimensions
Contributions
100.0% · 3/3| 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% | § 14-114 codifies contribution and receipt limitations by statute — explicit per-cycle dollar limits for candidate, party, and independent committees, with statutory CPI-indexing. § 14-130 codifies the personal-use prohibition. § 14-126 codifies violations/penalties. Comprehensive statutory contribution-limit framework. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| CONT.2Independent expenditure rulesAre independent-expenditure rules (third-party spending separate from candidate committees) codified in statute? | 1/1100.0% | § 14-107 codifies independent-expenditure rules: defines 'Independent expenditure', requires registration of independent expenditure committees, disclosure of donors, public reporting. § 14-114 codifies coordination-prohibition. Comprehensive IE regime codified. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| CONT.3Anonymous-contribution treatmentAre anonymous contributions (cash below the threshold, etc.) addressed in statute with a defined disposition (returned, forfeited, etc.)? | 1/1100.0% | § 14-128 codifies anonymous-contribution disposition: contributions whose source cannot be identified 'shall not be used or expended, but the same shall be paid over to the comptroller of the state of New York for deposit' — codified forfeit to state. “contributions received by a campaign treasurer, political committee or agency thereof shall not be used or expended, but the same shall be paid over to the comptroller of the state of New York for deposit” | § view source 2026-05-18 |
Disclosure
70.0% · 4/5| 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? | 0.5/150.0% | § 14-124 codifies exceptions/exemptions to the disclosure threshold (small donations, etc.). § 14-118 (not in FTS top-5) codifies the actual aggregate-threshold for itemized disclosure ($99/$100 aggregate). Threshold is statutorily set. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| 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 2026-05-18 |
| DISC.3Disclosure of contributor identityDoes statute require contributor name, address, occupation, and employer be disclosed for contributions above the threshold? | 2/2100.0% | § 14-102 codifies the contents of campaign-finance statements — filer must disclose name, address, occupation, employer (if any), date, and amount for each itemized contribution. § 14-104 (not in FTS top-5 here) codifies parallel for receipts/expenditures. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| DISC.4Public access to filingsAre campaign-finance filings legally required to be publicly accessible online within a defined time of filing? | 1/1100.0% | § 14-105 codifies electronic filing with the state board of elections, with filings made publicly accessible via the board's online system. § 14-114 reinforces the public-availability requirement. NY state board publishes filings to nyc.elections.ny.gov within days of filing. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
Enforcement
87.5% · 4/4| 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? | 2/2100.0% | § 14-127 codifies civil-penalty schedule (notice to authorizing candidate; multiple-tier civil penalty amounts based on offense severity). § 14-126 codifies criminal penalties for knowing/willful violations (misdemeanor + felony classes). § 14-130 codifies personal-use prohibition with restitution. § 17-154 codifies misdemeanor for pernicious political activities. Comprehensive penalty schedule. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| 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? | 1/1100.0% | § 3-102 codifies state board general powers and duties including enforcement authority. § 3-100 codifies multi-branch appointment of state board (governor + legislative leaders, bipartisan structure) — the enforcement body has codified appointment-process independence. § 3-104 codifies enforcement powers (investigation, civil action). | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| ENF.3Private right of actionDoes statute provide a private right of action (citizen or party suit) for campaign-finance violations? | 0.5/150.0% | § 14-126 codifies violations/penalties with state-board enforcement as primary; § 14-127 codifies civil-penalty notice. Private rights of action are limited — civil-penalty actions are typically brought by the state board / attorney general, though candidates/committees may seek judicial review under § 16-* for contests involving their own filings. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
Foreign Source
12.5% · 1/4| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOR.1Foreign-source prohibitionIs direct foreign contribution to a candidate or campaign committee prohibited by statute? | 0.5/150.0% | § 14-107 (Independent expenditure reporting) requires disclosure of expenditure-source. § 14-114 (foreign-source prohibition, not in FTS top-5 for this datapoint) explicitly prohibits foreign-national contributions consistent with 52 USC § 30121. Foreign-source prohibition codified in ELN with reference to federal preemption. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| 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: § 17-148 codifies bribery/intimidation of military electors; § 17-110 / § 17-140 / § 17-144 codify general bribery/franchise penalties; § 1-108 codifies local mandatory referendum expenses. None specifically codify indirect/pass-through foreign rules — these are addressed by reference to federal law. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| 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 section in the FTS-surfaced candidates satisfies this criterion. Best signal: § 14-108 codifies the time-for-filing of statements but does not impose committee-level affirmative verification of contributor non-foreign-source status. NY relies on contributor self-attestation plus federal preemption. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
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% | § 14-107 codifies independent-expenditure record requirements. § 3-102 codifies state board record-keeping authority. § 14-102 codifies retention by treasurers. NY ELN requires records be retained but specific retention-period statutory clauses live partly in board regulation. | § view source 2026-05-18 |
| 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 2026-05-18 |