FEC

Candidate endpoints give you access to information about the people running for office. This information is organized by `candidate_id`. If you're unfamiliar with candidate IDs, using `/candidates/search/` will help you locate a particular candidate. Officially, a candidate is an individual seeking nomination for election to a federal office. People become candidates when they (or agents working on their behalf) raise contributions or make expenditures that exceed $5,000. The candidate endpoints primarily use data from FEC registration [Form 1](https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/fecfrm1.pdf) for committee information and [Form 2](https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/fecfrm2.pdf) for candidate information.

Committees are entities that spend and raise money in an election. Their characteristics and relationships with candidates can change over time. You might want to use filters or search endpoints to find the committee you're looking for. Then you can use other committee endpoints to explore information about the committee that interests you. Financial information is organized by `committee_id`, so finding the committee you're interested in will lead you to more granular financial information. The committee endpoints include all FEC filers, even if they aren't registered as a committee. Officially, committees include the committees and organizations that file with the FEC. Several different types of organizations file financial reports with the FEC: *Campaign committees authorized by particular candidates to raise and spend funds in their campaigns. Non-party committees (e.g., PACs), some of which may be sponsored by corporations, unions, trade or membership groups, etc. Political party committees at the national, state, and local levels. Groups and individuals making only independent expenditures Corporations, unions, and other organizations making internal communications* The committee endpoints primarily use data from FEC registration Form 1 and Form 2.

Reporting deadlines, election dates FEC meetings, events etc.

Fetch key information about a committee's Form 3, Form 3X, or Form 3P financial reports. Most committees are required to summarize their financial activity in each filing; those summaries are included in these files. Generally, committees file reports on a quarterly or monthly basis, but some must also submit a report 12 days before primary elections. Therefore, during the primary season, the period covered by this file may be different for different committees. These totals also incorporate any changes made by committees, if any report covering the period is amended. Information is made available on the API as soon as it's processed. Keep in mind, complex paper filings take longer to process. The financial endpoints use data from FEC [form 5](https://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/fecfrm5.pdf), for independent expenditors; or the summary and detailed summary pages of the FEC [Form 3](https://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/fecfrm3.pdf), for House and Senate committees; [Form 3X](https://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/fecfrm3x.pdf), for PACs and parties; and [Form 3P](https://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/fecfrm3p.pdf), for presidential committees.

Search for candidates, committees by name.

All official records and reports filed by or delivered to the FEC. Note: because the filings data includes many records, counts for large result sets are approximate; you will want to page through the records until no records are returned.

This collection of endpoints includes Schedule A records reported by a committee. Schedule A records describe itemized receipts, including contributions from individuals. If you are interested in contributions from individuals, use the /schedules/schedule_a/ endpoint. For a more complete description of all Schedule A records visit [About receipts data](https://www.fec.gov/campaign-finance-data/about-campaign-finance-data/about-receipts-data/). If you are interested in our "is_individual" methodology visit our [methodology page](https://www.fec.gov/campaign-finance-data/about-campaign-finance-data/methodology/). Schedule A is also available as a database dump file that is updated weekly on Sunday. The database dump files are here: https://www.fec.gov/files/bulk-downloads/index.html?prefix=bulk-downloads/data-dump/schedules/. The instructions are here: https://www.fec.gov/files//bulk-downloads/data-dump/schedules/README.txt. We cannot provide help with restoring the database dump files, but you can refer to this community led [group](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/fec-data) for discussion.

Schedule B filings describe itemized disbursements. This data explains how committees and other filers spend their money. These figures are reported as part of forms F3, F3X and F3P.

Schedule C shows all loans, endorsements and loan guarantees a committee receives or makes.

Schedule D, it shows debts and obligations owed to or by the committee that are required to be disclosed.

Schedule E covers the line item expenditures for independent expenditures. For example, if a super PAC bought ads on TV to oppose a federal candidate, each ad purchase would be recorded here with the expenditure amount, name and id of the candidate, and whether the ad supported or opposed the candidate. An independent expenditure is an expenditure for a communication "expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate that is not made in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a candidate’s authorized committee, or their agents, or a political party or its agents." Aggregates by candidate do not include 24 and 48 hour reports. This ensures we don't double count expenditures and the totals are more accurate. You can still find the information from 24 and 48 hour reports in `/schedule/schedule_e/`.