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Changes to the EFS
There are several modifications to the EFS to accomodate the changes to M.G.L. Chapter 55, the Massachusetts campaign finance law, made in the Act to Improve the Laws Relating to Campaign Finance, Ethics and Lobbying, which was signed into law by Governor Patrick on July 1, 2009.  The changes to the campaign finance law, will take effect January 1, 2010.

The most notable changes to the EFS are:
  • New Filers - Starting January 1, 2010, these filers will commence electronic reporting to OCPF using the EFS:
    • Candidates for mayor in municipalities with a population of 40,000 to 99,999 who raise or spend $5,000 or more in an election cycle.  You can expect to see the reports of the mayoral candidates from the following cities in 2011:

      AttleboroBrocktonChicopeeFall River
      HaverhillLawrenceLeominsterLynn
      MaldenMedfordMethuenNew Bedford
      NewtonPeabodyPittsfieldQuincy
      RevereSalemSomervilleTaunton
      WalthamWestfieldWeymouth 

    • In addition to the mayoral and citywide candidates in Boston, Cambridge, Lowell, Springfield and Worcester, all district city council candidates in those cities will now file their reports with OCPF.

  • Mid-year Reporting - Legislative candidates and PACs will file twice a year in off-election years.  Starting in 2011, legislative candidates and PACs will file mid-year reports covering January 1 to June 30 and will file year-end reports that cover from July 1 to December 31.

  • Late Contribution and Expenditure Reporting - All candidates, state party committees and ballot question committees will commence filing late contribution reports.  Starting January 1, 2010, if a candidate, state party committee or ballot question committee receives a contribution of $500 or more within 18 days of a primary, preliminary or election, they must report the contributions within 72 hours of depositing them.

    Individuals, groups or associations that make independent expenditures of $250 or more (agregated annually) after the 10th day, but more than 24 hours, before the date of any election must report the expenditures within 24 hours of making them.  If they make electioneering communications expenditures of $1,000 or more within 7 days of an election, must report the expenditures within 48 hours of making them.

  • Subvendor Reporting - A candidate or committee who contracts with a vendor for $5,000 or more in goods or services (aggregated annually) must file a subvendor report if the vendor, in turn, contracts with a subvendor to provide the candidate or committee with $500 or more of those goods or services.  Subvendor payments will be included in the searchable database of expenditures.

  • Segregated Account Reporting - If a candidate establishes a separate, segregated fund for legal defense, inaugural, or recount expenses, the fund manager will report all donations of $50 or more to the fund on a monthly basis to OCPF.

  • Electioneering Communications Reporting - Individuals, groups or associations who make expenditures of $250 or more in a calendar year for publicly disseminated communications that clearly identify candidates within 90 days of an election in which that candidate is running will report the expenditures to OCPF.
Searching for Report Data
The "Search Expenditures" feature now includes sub-items from other expenditure reports filed.  Expenditures itemized on Reimbursement, Committee Credit Card and Subvendor reports will be included in the expenditure search results.  These items will be marked as sub-items and the a link to the source report will be provided.


Searching for Reports
New Reports - The search reports function will now include the monthly reports of any segregated inaugural, legal defense or recount funds established by candidates who report to OCPF.


Special Report Display Pages
Electioneering Communications Page (New) - The Electioneering Communications page displays information about electioneering communications reports filed on the EFS.  The Electioneering Communications page is tabbed by year and on each year tab will show all of the electioneering communications reports filed, grouped by the candidate, clearly identified in the public communication for which the expenditure was made.  If you click on the amount links, you can view the individual reports.


Filing Reports Online (Web Reporter)
The most significant change to the Web Reporter online filing application is that depository banks can now access Web Reporter to file their D105 reports online.  Web Reporter has also been updated to allow filers to create all of the new required reports.  Please visit the Web Reporter help page for more information about how to file reports online.