Public Posting of Campaign Finance Reports: Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that timely access to campaign finance reports is important. Not every reporting period is the same, and some reporting periods contain a high volume of paperwork to process. During heavy reporting periods, it may take longer to post all reports online due to the volume of filings and the required processing steps for each report.

Yes. The 2025 Year-End Semiannual Report is one of the most voluminous reporting periods required by law.

• All active candidate committees, party committees, and PACs were required to file.

• This includes filings from state, county, and municipal candidates and committees that submit reports electronically to the NC State Board of Elections.

·         1,090 active candidate committees

·         577 active, non-exempt party committees and building funds

·         244 active PACs

These figures do not include additional county and municipal candidates and county PACs that also file electronic reports with our office.

Although reports are filed electronically, the process includes several required steps:

·         Reports are submitted to board staff via email to campaign.reporting@ncsbe.gov.

·         Each report must be individually reviewed, uploaded, and manually linked within our database, which is approximately 25 years old.

·         After uploading, the system requires approximately 24 additional hours to update before the report becomes publicly viewable online.

·         Because each report is handled individually, high filing volumes can create processing backlogs. When paper reports are received by mail or hand-delivery, they too must be individually reviewed, scanned, uploaded, and manually linked within our database.

Staffing capacity is one of several factors that can affect processing times, particularly during peak reporting periods when thousands of reports are submitted in a short timeframe.

Yes. This is a busy season for the board overall. In addition to campaign finance reporting, staff are simultaneously:

·         Processing thousands of voter registration forms

·         Managing Registration Repair Project mailings

·         Supporting ongoing election administration and compliance activities, such as our recent winter training conference for county election directors, board members, and staff.

Yes. Severe winter weather we recently experienced affected staff's availability and processing timelines, which further delayed report uploads while we were working on the reports.

Not necessarily. A longer time in online posting does NOT mean a report was filed late or not received. Reports may be under review or awaiting system updates before they appear publicly.

The State Board of Elections is actively working to:

·         Process reports as quickly and accurately as possible

·         Prioritize high-volume reporting periods

·         Explore system and workflow improvements to enhance efficiency and transparency. We also are seeking to augment our staffing resources.

·         We are planning a full replacement of the campaign finance reporting system, which will speed up processing times and make the system more user friendly.

We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding during peak reporting times and remain committed to providing timely access to campaign finance information.