Reports of Independent Expenditures

The campaign finance law requires disclosure of certain expenditures in support of or in opposition to candidates that are made independent of any political committee.  There is no statutory limit on such expenditures, but any expenditure of more than $100 is subject to disclosure.

M.G.L. Chapter 55, Section 18A stipulates:

Every individual, group or association not defined as a political committee, who makes an independent expenditure or expenditures in an aggregate amount exceeding one hundred dollars during any calendar year for the purpose of promoting the election or defeat of any candidate or candidates shall file with the director, or with  the city or town clerk if such candidate or candidates seek public office at a city or town election, within seven business days after making such independent expenditure or expenditures, on a form prescribed by the director, a report stating the name and address of the individual, group or association making the expenditure or expenditures; the name of the candidate or candidates whose election or defeat the expenditure promoted; the name and address of the person or persons to whom the expenditure or expenditures were made; and the total amount or value; the purpose and the date of the expenditure or expenditures.

For the purposes of this section the term "independent expenditure" shall mean an expenditure by an individual, group, or association not defined as a political committee expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate which is made without cooperation or consultation with any candidate, or a nonelected political committee organized on behalf of a candidate, or any agent of a candidate and which is not made in concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate, or any nonelected political committee organized on behalf of a candidate or agent of such candidate. 

These reports are filed in paper form, but images of these reports are now available online.   Links to images of independent expenditure reports may be found below.  

Click here for an OCPF study of  independent expenditures for state candidates in 2006

Reports are listed by date on which they were filed with OCPF, with the most recent listed first. Click on a filing date to download an image of the applicable report.

2007

2006

House special election, 1st Bristol District   (2/7/06)

House special election, 2nd Worcester District  (2/7/06)

Images for a month or election may contain more than one report.

Reports from previous years

2005:

House special election, 12th Suffolk District

Senate special election, 2nd Middlesex District

2004:

August    /   September   /   October  /   November

Amended reports