FEC Expands Website Services

For Immediate Release:                                                                                             Contact:   Sharon Snyder
October 18, 2000                                                                                                                          Ron Harris
                                                                                                                                                        Ian Stirton
                                                                                                                                                        Kelly Huff


 


FEC EXPANDS WEBSITE SERVICES

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission announced today several new additions
to its website, www.fec.gov. The latest additions are part of a continuing
expansion to which the FEC has been dedicated since the inception of its site in 1996. The
new query capability is prominently displayed under ‘What’s New’ at the
start of the Commission’s home page.

The new research tool will provide summary statistical information about candidates,
PACs, and political party committees. The summaries will include total receipts,
disbursements, contributions received from individuals, contributions made to candidates,
contributions received from other committees (PACs), beginning and ending cash-on-hand,
and debts owed by the committee. Requests can be made for individual candidates or
committees or groups of candidates and committees. Currently, statistical summaries cover
the 1999-2000 election cycle activity, and will be expanded to include other cycles at a
later date. These summaries will represent the most current information available, as the
Commission’s database is updated every evening.

As part of the new search system, visitors to the site will be asked if they want
information on candidate campaigns, PACs or political parties. Information can be selected
by state, by political party, or by candidate status (incumbent, challenger or open-seat).
Once a statistical summary appears, detailed lists of individual contributors or Non-Party
or Other Committee (PAC) contributions can be obtained by highlighting those lines and
clicking on them.

 


ON-LINE FILING

From October 19 through November 5, all filers will be able to submit last minute
contribution information on-line via the Internet. Currently, these required notices are
sent by express mail, overnight delivery services and facsimile machines. The new system
will allow the filer to log on to the FEC filing website, enter the transactions, and send
the report into the electronic filing system. This option will not be available to Senate
campaign committees because they are required to file their reports with the Secretary of
the Senate.

These notices are required to be filed for any contributions of $1,000 or more which
are received after the 20th day but more than 48 hours before the general
election (i.e. between October 19 and November 5). The notices are to be filed within 48
hours of receipt of such contributions.

On-line filing of last-minute contributions is in keeping with the statutory purpose of
the 48-hour notifications, which is prompt public disclosure. It will be easy for
committees and will also significantly reduce the number of paper reports normally
received by the Commission in the last days before the election.

 


EASY REFERENCE INDICES FOR LAST MINUTE CONTRIBUTIONS AND INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES

As in previous election cycles, the Commission will prepare a special index daily of
48-hour and 24-hour notices filed. These indices will provide the public with information
on last minute contributions to campaigns and last-minute independent expenditures being
made on behalf of or against all federal candidates.

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