Campaign Finance Enforcement Across the 50 States

  • Preliminary Results of the Effect of Enforcement Practices on Undetected Campaign Finance Violations

How can states best enforce campaign finance law?

Project Abstract

Based on theories of regulatory compliance, this project seeks to investigate which of  strategies by campaign enforcement agencies are most likely to encourage regulatees (candidates, contributors, parties and PACs) to obey the law. To begin to answer this question, we contacted state legislators in all fifty states. Legislators filled out a survey, responding to questions about the perceived efficacy of their state campaign agency, the merits of third party monitors, and the degree to which campaign finance law is violated in their states. We then analyze these survey responses with respect to known differences in state campaign finance regulatory enforcement practices.