Campaign Finance Database

Search the Campaign Finance Database
(MDCRIS provide by the State Board of Elections)
Search the database to find information about contributions to candidates and campaigns in Maryland, and expenditures made by candidates and campaigns.

Disclaimer: The State Board of Elections (SBE) guarantees that the information on this website reflects exactly what has been filed by the campaign committee treasurers. However, SBE makes no warranty as to the accuracy or correctness of the information reported. In other words, if a campaign committee reports information inaccurately, those inaccuracies will be a part of this database.

Important notations: Some contributors may have one of the following notations after their name:

• Administrative: Indicates that the contribution was given to the recipient to cover the cost of administrative expenses. An administrative contribution does not count towards the contributor's contribution limits. Only for central committees and legislative party caucus committees and PACs. 
• Returned: Indicates that the contribution was returned to the contributor. The amount of a returned contribution is deducted from the contributor's aggregate contribution total.

Report data electronically filed will be posted on the MD CRIS website.

A campaign committee is one of several different types of committees that may be filed with either the State Board of Elections or a county board of elections. The different types of campaign committees include:

1. Candidate Committees
2. Slates
3. Political Action Committees
4. Party Central Committees
5. Ballot Issue Committees
6. Legislative Party Caucus Committees

All campaign committees that file their Campaign Finance Reports with the State Board of Elections are part of the campaign finance database.

Campaign committees that file with the State Board of Elections are required to file their reports in an electronic format using software authorized by SBE.

Certain campaign accounts that have minimal financial activity are exempt from the electronic filing requirement. However, their data is manually entered into the database by the SBE staff.

The database begins with data from the 11/23/1999 Baltimore City Post General Report. For many of the campaign committees, the 11/23/1999 report covers all transactions in 1999. However, certain campaign accounts that were participating in the Baltimore City election filed reports earlier in the year and therefore their 11/23/1999 report only includes transactions beginning on 10/18/1999. It should also be noted that several campaign committees who were participating in the Baltimore City election did file some of their earlier reports electronically.

Campaign finance reports from 1999 to 2006 are not included in the active database. The information is stored in the public archived database for searches. Only information from 2007 to present is on the active database.

Campaign committees must report all money received, all money spent, and all unpaid loans and debt. Specifically the information must include:

• The name and address of each contributor, the amount contributed, and the aggregate amount of all contributions by that contributor. In addition, contributors must be classified as either an individual, business entity, federal committee, political club, candidate account, central committee or PAC.
• The name and address of each individual who receives money from the campaign committee and the amount of money received. In addition, each expenditure must be classified by a purpose such as salaries, rent, field expenses, post or printing.
• The name and address of each person to whom the committee owes money. If the money owed was from a loan, the amount of interest charged and paid must also be reported along with the terms of the loan.

Reports are filed in conjunction with an election. Accordingly whenever there is a primary election, a campaign committee must file two pre-primary reports. When there is a general election, the committee must file a pre-general report and a post general report.

Example Reporting Schedule

Reports	Date Description
Annual	3rd Wednesday in January of each year
Pre Primary 1	4th Tuesday Preceding the Primary Election
Pre Primary 2	2nd Friday Preceding the Primary Election
Pre General 1	Last Tuesday in August Preceding the General Election
Pre General 2	2nd Friday Preceding the General Election
Post General	3rd Tuesday following the General Election

This year, campaign finance reports will be filed according to this Reporting Schedule.

A committee can file an Affidavit in lieu of a campaign finance report if the committee raises and spends less than $1000 during a reporting period.  However, those transactions must be reported a subsequent report. 

For more information on this subject, please see Chapter 10 of the Summary Guide.

The amount of money given by a donor is subject to the limits specified under Maryland law (see Chapter 8 of the Summary Guide).

If you have questions about a contribution or its legality, please feel free to contact this office for more information.