The public and media have become increasingly interested in campaign finance in recent years. This is in part because of the growing sums of money spent on campaigns and the challenges of fairly regulating this support. The interest is also a result of concerns regarding the undue influence of money in democratic processes.
Regulations on campaign financing and spending vary considerably from country to country, and indeed between different types of elections within a country. Some countries have detailed legislation regarding campaign financing but very little legislation regarding spending. In the United States, for example, there are number of limitations on how and where campaign money is sourced, while there are no limits for campaign spending. In the Britain, on the other hand, campaign-spending limits are determined by the size of an electoral district.
A journalist covering a candidate or party campaigning will need to become well versed in relevant legislation for that election. They will also want to consider what particular issues are important to the public. Here are a few questions relevant to campaign finance reporting:
- What regulations pertain campaign financing and methods of fund raising?
- What requirements or limitations apply to private or business donations to campaigns?
- What obligations do parties or candidates have for declaring sources of funding?
- What are the sums and sources of funding for different parties and candidates?
- What affiliations do significant campaign funders have?
- What trends and changes occur as a campaign progresses?
- What particular sources of financing are important for the public to know about?
- What regulations pertain to campaign spending?
- How much is each party or candidate spending, and on what?
- What particular spending information is important for the public to know, given the specific context of an election?
In new democracies, campaign finance information might not be readily available to the media or public. Indeed, much of this information might not be reported to the EMB, whether or not it is required. Furthermore, information parties and candidates report on might be difficult to verify. Determining both sources and spending may therefore require some degree of investigative journalism skill. In some circumstances this issue is particularly sensitive, or even dangerous. It is therefore extremely important that both electoral laws and general legislation on rights and protection of media are robust, and furthermore, that enforcement mechanisms are in place.
