Before you search OCPF's Electronic Filing System, please take a minute to determine what candidates and committees may be found there.

Most candidates and committees are required to file their reports electronically, some depending on whether they exceed specific receipt or expenditure thresholds.  The following candidates and committees are required to e-file:

• Candidates for statewide office who raise or spend more than $50,000 in a four-year election cycle.
  
  
• Candidates for the Governor's Council, Senate or House candidates who raise or spend more than $5,000 in a two-year election cycle.
  
  
• Committees organized to support or oppose questions on a state ballot that raise or spend more than $25,000 in a two-year cycle.

The e-file requirement for the above candidates and committees began in January 2002.

• Political action committees, people's committees and party committees (state or local) that raise or spend more than $10,000 in a two-year election cycle.  The vast majority of local party committees fall far below that level.

The e-file requirement for these committees began in January 2004.

• All candidates for county office, including sheriff and district attorney, and candidates for mayor and councilor-at-large in the five largest cities in Massachusetts (Boston, Cambridge, Lowell, Springfield and Worcester).  All candidates for these offices are required to e-file, regardless of the amounts they raise or spend.

The e-file requirement for these candidates began in January 2005.

• Candidates for district city council seats in the five largest cities in Massachusetts (Boston, Cambridge, Lowell, Springfield and Worcester).
  
  
• Candidates for mayor in cities with populations of 40,000 to 100,000.
  
  
• Candidates' legal defense, inaugural or recount funds. 
  (Click here for more information about segregated fund reporting.)

The e-file requirement for these committees began in January 2010.

Candidates' and committees' filing obligations vary according to whether it is an election year.  In an election year, candidates and committees file with greater frequency.  Visit the Filing Schedules page to view the filing schedules for all candidates and committees.

NOTE:  Some former candidates are listed on the EFS even though they are currently not seeking office.  That is because their banks are forwarding their monthly expenditure statements to OCPF as part of the entire batch of reports it submits regularly.  The candidates are not required to file contributor information.  These candidates are sorted on the EFS according to the last office they sought.

Click here for more information about searching for information on the Electronic Filing System.