The State of Disclosure in Massachusetts

Massachusetts received a slightly higher score for web site usability in 2005, but its overall grade and rank remained static at a C and 12 respectively. Its biggest strengths are still in Electronic Filing and Online Contextual and Technical Usability, and it ranks within the top five in both categories.

The state’s campaign disclosure law requires candidates to report details for contributors giving at least $50, including occupation and employer for those contributing above $200. Expenditures above $50 are reported, but detailed information does not include subvendor payments. A weak point in the law is the lack of reporting of last-minute contributions and independent expenditures prior to the election; voters don’t find out about that money until candidates file post-election reports. Statewide candidates who raise or spend more than $50,000 and legislative candidates raising or spending more than $5,000 must file reports electronically.

The Office of Campaign and Political Finance web site provides good access to campaign records through searchable contribution and expenditure databases, as well as complete filings that can be browsed by site visitors. Electronic filings are available on the disclosure site in real time, and in fall 2004 the agency began posting scanned images of independent expenditures, which are not filed electronically, as well. To make the system even more complete, the agency could add data from paper-filed reports to its databases, and give site users the ability to search by contributor zip code, expenditure amount, and expenditure purpose.

Massachusetts’ only measurable improvement in this year’s study was a slight increase in its usability test score. Even so, testers had mixed reactions to the disclosure web site, with most feeling confident in the accuracy of data, but some expressing confusion about the site’s terminology. Reorganizing the site, which contains lots of excellent contextual and summary information, might help improve navigation and usability.

 

→ Quick Fix: Improve site navigation by changing the color of visited links.

 

♦ Editor’s Pick: Electronic Report Log (view image) listing the most recently filed reports, and Report Status feature (view image.)

Disclosure Agency: Office of Campaign and Political Finance
Disclosure Web Site: http://www.state.ma.us/ocpf