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Search Reports
To access reports filed by specific candidates and committees, click on one of the links under the Search Reports menu option.  The report search options are:
  • Candidates - Please refer to the Registered Filer List for a listing of the candidates who file with OCPF;

  • PACs - This refers to all of the State Political Action Committees and People's Committees organized with OCPF;

  • State Parties - This refers to all of the State Political Party Committees organized in Massachusetts;

  • Local Parties - This refers to all of the Local (Ward, Town and City) Political Party Committees organized in Massachusetts;

  • Ballot Question - This refers to all of the State Ballot Question Committees organized with OCPF; and

  • Segregated Accounts - This refers to all of the Inaugural, Recount and Legal funds organized on behalf of candidates who file with OCPF.
Once you select a filer type from the Search Reports menu option, you can search for a specific report using one of the following search criteria:
  • The Filer's Name:

    • Select the filer from a drop down list, or

    • Enter the filer's name in the data entry field provided;

  • The Filer's CPF ID number (the five-digit identification number assigned by OCPF);

  • The Filer's Office Sought (Candidates only).  If you select an office that is organized by district, such as district attorney or state representative, a second District drop down list will appear so that you may further narrow your search to a specific office.

  • The Filer's Related Candidate (Segregated Accounts only).  You can search for segregated account reports by:

    • Selecting the related candidate's name from a drop down list,

    • Entering the related candidate's name in the data entry field provided; or

    • Entering the CPF ID number of either the account or the related candidate in the data entry field provided.
Notes for Report Searches

Wildcard Searches / Multiple Matches
All of the search criterion text fields support a wildcard search using "%" (the percent symbol).  For example, to search for the report of a candidate whose name begins with an "S", enter "S%" in the Filer's Name field.  In this example, multiple filers will match the search criterion used.  Where multiple matches are found, a listing of all matches will be displayed.  The listing will include CPF ID #, Name and City/Town information for each filer to assist you in selecting the filer whose report you wish to view.  Click on the name of the filer to see a listing of the filer's reports that are available for viewing.

Depository v. Non-Depository Filers
There are two different groups of candidates and committees that file reports with OCPF.  The filer groups are defined by the reporting system they use:
  • Depository Filers
    Statewide, county and Governor's Council candidates and committees, state party committees and mayoral and city council candidates in Boston, Cambridge, Lowell, Springfield and Worcester.

    These candidates and committees arrange for their financial institutions to file monthly reports listing receipts and expenditures with OCPF.  For candidates on the ballot, the frequency increases to bi-weekly in the last six months of an election year.  These candidates and committees are also responsible for filing year-end summary reports.

  • Non-depository Filers
    Candidates for the state legislature, political action committees, local party committees, state ballot question committees and the mayoral candidates in cities with populations of 40,000 to 99,999.

    These candidates and committees file directly with OCPF.  Legislative candidates and PACs file reports at least twice a year:  a mid-year report covering January 1st through June 30th, and a year-end report covering July 1st through December 31st.  In years in which they are on the ballot, these candidates (and PACs) will file two extra reports:  a pre-primary report and a pre-election report.  Local party committees file a year-end report in off-election years and file three reports:  a pre-primary report, a pre-election report and a year-end report in election years.  Ballot question committees file on a slightly different schedule before and after the election.  With the exception of the candidates and committees noted above, municipal candidates and committees, including local ballot question committees, file locally based on the dates of their local elections.  Those reports are available from local city or town clerks or election commissions.
Reports are organized for display on the EFS differently for each type of filer:
  • Depository Filers:
    The lists of depository filers' reports available for viewing are organized into separate tabs, by report type:

    • Bank Reports - These are the monthly reports filed by the candidate's bank which detail the expenditure activity in the account;

    • Deposit Reports - These are the monthly reports filed by the candidate which detail the deposit activity in the account;

    • Periodic Reports - These are the summary reports filed yearly, or at the opening or closing of the committee;

    • Reimbursements - These are the reports of reimbursements made to third parties for purchases made on behalf of the committee;

    • Credit Cards - These are the reports of payments made to the committee's merchant provider for purchases made through the committee's credit card account; and

    • Subvendors - These are the reports of third-party payments made by a candidate or committee's vendors for the provision of goods or services.

  • Non-Depository Filers:
    Non-depository filers only file periodic reports.  These reports are organized into a single list, chronilogically, newest to oldest.

To view any of the listed reports, click on the date of the report, which is a link to the selected report page.

If you are using the CPF ID number search field and need assistance with a specific CPF ID number, you can look up a candidate's or committee's CPF ID by using the Registered Filer List.

If you would like to search for candidate reports by legislative district, but do not know your particular district or the identity of your local senator or representative, you may search for them by going to:
  • The website of the General Court.  The information on the incumbent's General Court page includes the name of his or her district (e.g., 1st Suffolk or 12th Middlesex).  You can then enter the incumbent's name in the Last Name box or enter the district for all candidates for the seat;  or

  • The website of the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Elections Division.  Enter the name of your town to see who represents your district.  In an election year, a list of candidates, including non-incumbents, and districts is also available on the ballot as composed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
When searching online for the reports of a particular state ballot question committee, PAC, people's committee or party committee, if you are having difficulty locating a particular report, you should check the Registered Filer List to make sure the committee is organized with OCPF.  If the committee you are searching for is on the Registered Filer List but no electronic reports are available for viewing, it may be that the committee has not yet exceeded the electronic filing threshold.  (See Required E-Filers.)  You should contact OCPF for more information.

The Report Cover Page Toolbar

There are four tools available on the Report Cover Page toolbar:
  • Export to Excel - You can download a report to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for further analysis, by clicking on the "Export to Excel" button, which is the first button on the toolbar.

  • Link to Print Version - This tool exports a report to a printer-friendly page for easier printing.

  • Link to Grouping Charts - This is feature will display report information as charted data on a separate results page.

  • Link to EFS Home Page - This tool will navigate back to the Home Page.
The Grouping Charts Page

This page is used to display report data as charts for easier visual analysis of the data.  There are two chart types available:
  • Pie - This charting option will display the data as a divided circle or "pie."  The chart will express the data as appropriately-sized, color-coded "slices" of the pie, labeled with the percentage of the total that it represents.

  • Bar - This charting option will display the report data sets as bars on a labeled graph.  The chart will express the data as appropriately-sized, color-coded bars that appear on a graph that is labeled with a dollar amount range that will accomodate the graphed data.  For example, if the largest bar in your record set exceeds $200,000.00, the x-axis of the graph may be labeled from $0 to $250,000.00, in $50,000 increments, to accomodate the results displayed.
To the right of every chart, a legend will be displayed showing the color of each bar or pie slice, the type of record set that it represents, the number of records in the record set for that type, in parentheses, and the dollar total of the record type represented.  To see which records are represented by each bar or pie slice, you can click on the total dollar amount in the legend.  A detail window will appear displaying a listing of the records in that record set.  The detail section has a scroll bar for easier viewing and clicking on the push-pin icon in the top right corner of the detail section will temporarily hide the detail section.  You can click on the bars in a bar chart to also view the detailed listing of the records in that record set, however, you cannot click on the pie chart to view the detail listing; you must use the legend to view the record sets.

Charting the record sets is dynamic.  You can choose between the two charting types and can chose how to group the data multiple times for a single record set.  The records in the report can be grouped in different ways for display on the Grouping Charts page and you can move between grouping types as often as you like.  The report data can be displayed based on any of the following groupings:
  • Contributions by City/Town - This is the default display mode.  Contributions are grouped by the city or town from which they were made, based on the contributor's address information provided in filed campaign finance reports.  The records are divided into sets and the top ten results are displayed in the chart form selected.

  • Contributions by Zip Code - Contributions are grouped by the zip code from which they were made, based on the contributor's address information provided in filed campaign finance reports.  The records are divided into sets and the top ten results are displayed in the chart form selected.

  • Contributions by State - Contributions are grouped by the state from which they were made, based on the contributor's address information provided in filed campaign finance reports.  The records are divided and displayed in two ways:
    • In-State / Out-of-State - First, the results are broken down by in-state (MA) and out-of-state (all other states/regions), based on the contributor's address information provided on filed campaign finance reports.  The information is then displayed in the chart form selected.
    • Out-of-State (Detail) - The out-of-state records are then divided into sets representing each state and/or region and the top ten results are displayed in the chart form selected.

  • Contributions by Amount Range - Contributions are grouped in the following dollar ranges:
    • Under $50
    • $50 - $99.99
    • $100 - $199.99
    • $200 - $499.99
    • $500
    • Over $500

  • Contributions by Contributor Type - Contributions are grouped by the receipt type provided by the recipient on filed campaign finance reports and the top ten results are displayed in the chart form selected.  Examples of contributor types include: individuals, (political) committees, unions and associations, candidate loans, and bank interest.

  • Expenditures by City/Town - This is the default display mode.  Expenditures are grouped by the city or town in which they were made, based on the vendor (payee)'s address information provided in filed campaign finance reports.  The records are divided into sets and the top ten results are displayed in the chart form selected.

  • Expenditures by Zip Code - Expenditures are grouped by the zip code in which they were made, based on the vendor (payee)'s address information provided in filed campaign finance reports.  The records are divided into sets and the top ten results are displayed in the chart form selected.

  • Expenditures by Purpose - Expenditures are grouped by the listed purpose for which they were made, based on the information provided in filed campaign finance reports.  The records are divided into sets and the top ten results are displayed in the chart form selected.