Tutorial: Working with Downloadable FEC Data Files Using MS Access.
These files contain one record for each campaign. This record contains summary financial information. The summary information contained in these files is completely dependent upon what is reported by the campaign itself. This means that the time period covered by this file may be more recent than for the current version of "cansum" described below. During the primary election season the period covered may be different for candidates in different states. The cost of this timliness, though, is that some of the information available here is less precise than for "cansum". For example, in "cansum" you can see how much a campaign received from Corporate PACs or Labor PACs, while here there is only one value for the total received from "other political committees." This includes all PAC contributions, but it may also contain contributions from other candidates, and some other types of committees we don't typically think of as PACs. We can't do the full breakdowns until all the information about specific contributions has been entered into the database.
When using these summary files you need to be aware of some possible double counting of activity. Some candidates have more then one committee authorized to raise and spend funds on their behalf. The activity reflected in this file represents the sum of those committees. If they transfer funds back and forth among each other, this activity would be counted twice. Information about "transfers from authorized committees" and "transfers to authorized committees" is included in the file and if there are values in both of these fields it is necessary to subtract these from total receipts and total disbursements to obtain a more accurate value for actual activity.
Candidate Financial Summaries (Current Campaigns) Election Cycle File Format Description
The all candidate summary file contains one record including summary financial information for all candidates who raised or spent money during the period no matter when they are up for election. This file is similar to the current campaign summary file described above. This file is completely dependent upon summary information reported by the campaign itself. This means that the time period covered by this file may be more recent than for the current version of the post-cycle candidate summary file described below. During the primary election season the period covered may be different for candidates in different states. The cost of this timeliness, though, is that some of the information available here is less precise than for the post-cycle candidate summary file. For example, break-outs by special interest group code are not possible.
When using the all candidates summary file you need to be aware of some possible double counting of activity. Some candidates have more then one committee authorized to raise and spend funds on their behalf. The activity reflected in this file represents the sum of those committees. If they transfer funds back and forth among each other, this activity would be counted twice. Information about “transfers from authorized committees” and “transfers to authorized committees” is included in the file and if there are values in both of these fields it is necessary to subtract these from total receipts and total disbursements to obtain a more accurate value for actual activity.
Election Cycle |
File |
Format Description |
|---|---|---|
2009 - 2010 |
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2007 - 2008 |
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2005 - 2006 |
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2003 - 2004 |
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2001 - 2002 |
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1999 - 2000 |
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1997 - 1998 |
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1995 - 1996 |
We have also created files containing one record for each candidate for the U.S. House or Senate during each of the last several election cycles. Each of these is a fixed length, undelimited file with one record for each campaign for the U.S. House or Senate. This file includes summary information about the financing of the campaign, including total receipts, the total coming from individuals, totals from each of six categories of Political Action Committees (i.e. Corporate, Labor, Trade/Membership/Health, Cooperative, Corporation without Stock, and PACs with no connected organization or sponsor), totals from Party committees, campaign spending, cash on hand, and debts owed by the campaign.
Candidate Financial Summaries (End of Cycle) Election Cycle File Format Description
The most current information available for PACs is a file called, webk. This file gives overall receipts and disbursements for each PAC and party committee registered with the commission, along with a breakdown of overall receipts by source and totals for contributions to other committees, independent expenditures made, etc.
PAC Financial Summaries (Current) Election Cycle File Format Description
PACSUM contains summary information for PACs. This file contains one record for each PAC. It includes financial information from the PAC, e.g. pac receipts and spending, contributions to Senate and House candidates, contributions to Democrats, Republicans and other party candidates, contributions to incumbent members of Congress, challengers, and candidates in open seats.
Since this file summarized detailed information about contributions to candidates, the time period covered by the file will only change when we have completed processing information for a complete reporting period.
We've created similar files with information about specific PACs covering several elections. Each of these is a fixed length, undelimited file with one record for each PAC involved in federal elections. It includes financial information from the PAC, e.g. pac receipts and spending, contributions to Senate and House candidates, contributions to Democrats, Republicans and other party candidates, contributions to incumbent members of Congress, challengers, and candidates in open seats.
PAC Financial Summaries (End of Cycle) Election Cycle File Format Description
Summary files also exist for each federal committee of the political parties. Each is a fixed length, undelimited file with one record for each party committee involved in federal elections. The file includes financial information for the party committee including receipts and disbursements, contributions to federal candidates, and expenditures made on behalf of Congressional campaigns.
Party Financial Summaries (End of Cycle) Election Cycle File Format Description
There are also two more detailed files available for past election cycles. These contain information about specific PACs or party committees' contributions and expenditures related to federal campaigns. In these files, each PAC or party committee has one record for each specific candidate the committee supported. Similarly, for any one candidate there are as many records in these files as there were PACs or party committees who made contributions or expenditures in their campaigns.
A fixed length undelimited file with a record for each candidate to whom a PAC made either a contribution or an independent expenditure. It identifies the candidate and the total amount given or spent by the PAC. This file can be used then to see which candidates a PAC has supported, and alternatively you can see which PACs have given to a specific candidate.
PAC Financial Details (End of Cycle) Election Cycle File Format Description
The same as the PAC detailed file described above, but it contains only party committee activity. (The formats are slightly different in 1995-96 to account for party committees making independent expenditures for and against candidates. 1996 is the first election cycle during which parties made these expenditures.
Party Financial Details (End of Cycle) Election Cycle File Format Description
