Search - Disclosure
 | Simple Search: This option offers a very broad search of the database based upon a small amount of user-provided information. |
 | Advanced Search: This option allows the user to query the database based upon multiple known criteria. |
 | FTP Site: This option allows users to obtain large sets of pre-queried data. Campaign finance data filed prior to 2000 is available only on this site.
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The Ohio Secretary of State’s campaign finance databases allow users to search, retrieve and download the campaign finance data filed with the office. Pursuant to R.C. 3517.106(E), this information must be available to the public through the Internet within five business days after the Secretary of State has received the reports. There are two ways to retrieve the campaign finance data.
The first way is to use the “Search Candidates and Committees” link to access the Campaign Finance Query System. This system allows users to search campaign finance data filed by any of the committees that file with this office. A search may be done on a number of criteria including name of the candidate or contributor, address, date, amount, etc. The results of the search may be viewed on the screen, printed or downloaded. This system is the overall easiest to use especially for those persons looking for specific campaign finance data or for a specific report . The query system is divided into two sections, a Simple Search and an Advanced Search.
SIMPLE SEARCH: This option offers a very broad search of the database based upon a small amount of user-provided information such as a name of a contributor or candidate.
ADVANCED SEARCH: This option allows the user to query the database based upon multiple known criteria. Examples of advanced searches would be a search on all contributions to a particular candidate within a specific time frame or a search on all PAC cover pages for the 2010 Pre-Primary report.
Note: the use of the % as a wildcard is no longer necessary.
The second way to obtain campaign finance data is to use the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) application. The FTP system is the method by which large amounts of some of the most commonly requested campaign finance data have already been queried and placed in a downloadable file. An example of the data available would be all Candidate Contributions for the Year 2009. The primary target audiences of the FTP system are the media, academics and other person or organization looking for large amounts of campaign finance data.