This page answers frequently asked questions about our Financial Reports and Political Contributions (FRPC) system related to local elections. Search for local elections information in FRPC here.
1. What information is included in the Financial Reports and Political Contributions System (FRPC) for local elections?
The Financial Reports and Political Contributions System (FRPC) contains:
2. What is the difference between campaign contributions and sponsorship contributions?
A campaign contribution is the amount of money, or the value of property or services, provided without compensation to a candidate for campaign use, or to an elector organization for any use.
A sponsorship contribution is the amount of money, or the value of property or services, provided without compensation to a third party sponsor or assent voting advertising sponsor for sponsorship use (i.e., to conduct third party advertising).
3. What is the difference between annual report contributions and election contributions?
Annual report contributions are reported by registered elector organizations in annual financial reports. They include all campaign contributions received by an elector organization in the calendar year to which the financial report relates.
Election contributions are campaign contributions reported by candidates and elector organizations in campaign financing disclosure statements. They include all campaign contributions received by a candidate or elector organization in relation to a specific election.
For elector organizations, this means that some campaign contributions will be reported as both annual report contributions and election contributions.
4. Where can I find the details for contributions made to local elections participants prior to 2014?
Elections BC’s responsibility to administer the campaign financing and election advertising rules for local elections started on May 29, 2014. All financing reports and disclosure statements filed since that date under LECFA are available for public inspection in FRPC.
Prior to that date, disclosure statements were filed with each local jurisdiction and made available for public inspection until five years after General Voting Day for the election to which they related. Contact the relevant local jurisdiction to determine if more information is available.
5. Are contributions to registered third party sponsors and assent voting advertising sponsors included in FRPC?
Yes. The Election Summary information for third party sponsors and assent voting advertising sponsors includes total sponsorship contributions received by each registered sponsor. However, detailed sponsorship contributor information is not included in the searchable database.
To view detailed information about sponsorship contributors, view the disclosure statements filed with Elections BC by each registered sponsor using the Search for Scanned Reports screen and selecting Third Party Sponsor or Assent Voting Advertising Sponsor from the Filer Type drop-down list.
6. Why can’t I find contributors who made campaign contributions of less than $100? What is the difference between contributions of less than $100 and anonymous contributions?
LECFA only requires that detailed information be disclosed for significant contributors. These are contributors who, during a calendar year or a specific election, made one or more campaign contributions to a particular candidate or elector organization with a total value of $100 or more.
Anonymous contributions are campaign contributions by eligible individuals of up to $50 that are truly anonymous. This means the contributor is not known and cannot be identified by the candidate or financial agent; for example, an eligible individual that anonymously contributes $50 to a “pass the hat” at a fundraising function.
7. Are there restrictions on who can make campaign contributions and limits on how much a contributor can give?
Yes. As of October 31, 2017:
These restrictions and limits do not apply to local elections or assent voting that occurred before the 2018 General Local Elections.
8. What are the different types of scanned reports filed with Elections BC?
For local elections, scanned reports include all financial reports and disclosure statements filed with Elections BC (including amendments, if any). There are six types of scanned reports that can be viewed in FRPC:
FRPC also contains several types of financial reports filed in relation to provincial electoral events. For more information, please see the Provincial FRPC site.
9. Are the scanned reports final?
The financial reports and disclosure statements posted in FRPC are the most recent versions filed with Elections BC but are subject to change. If either the filer or Elections BC becomes aware of new or incorrect information, the financial report or disclosure statement is amended and reposted to FRPC. The original version and all subsequent amendments are made available in FRPC.
10. I cannot find a scanned report for a filer who participated in a previous election. Why?
Candidates and elector organizations are identified in FRPC by their current ballot name. Previous ballot names are not listed. Similarly, third party sponsors and assent voting advertising sponsors are only identified by their current usual name (individuals) or full name (organizations).
If a filer has changed their name, the previous name may not be included in the Filer Name drop-down box, and all previous reports by that filer will be updated with the current name.
11. Is it possible to determine who made campaign contributions at fundraising functions?
Generally, no. Candidates and elector organizations are not required to disclose the list of attendees for any specific fundraising function.
However, the names of contributors who made one or more campaign contributions to a particular candidate or elector organization with a total value of $100 or more, whether at a fundraising function or not, can be found in FRPC.
12. Is it possible to determine if someone received a tax receipt for a contribution?
Campaign contributions made to local elections candidates and elector organizations are not eligible for tax receipts.
13. How can I tell if a campaign contribution was monetary or non-monetary?
Generally, you cannot tell from the information in the scanned reports or contributions databases whether a campaign contribution was of money or goods or services (in-kind). The total value of campaign contributions disclosed includes contributions of money and the market value of contributed goods and services.
14. Who should I contact if I gave a campaign contribution to a candidate or elector organization (or a sponsorship contribution to a third party sponsor or assent voting advertising sponsor) and my name is not disclosed as a contributor?
If you made contributions of $100 or more to a filer in relation to a calendar year or a specific election or assent voting, and your name is not disclosed, please contact the filer and Elections BC.
Likewise, if your contribution was reported incorrectly, please contact the filer and Elections BC.
15. Who should I contact if my residential address is publicly included in a disclosure statement?
Your residential address should not be publicly disclosed, even if you contributed $100 or more. Please contact Elections BC and we will review the matter.
16. Who should I contact if I do not agree with the information reported?
Please contact the filer and Elections BC.
17. Why is the downloaded campaign contribution information saved as a text file (.txt) and not in a spreadsheet like Excel?
There are thousands of records in some of the downloadable campaign contribution files. There are no limitations on the number of records that can be saved in a text file (.txt). Some older versions of Excel will not allow more than 65,536 records and would not allow you to save all campaign contribution records.
18. What information does the Election Summary search include?
The Election Summary search can be used to review the total income and expenditures reported by candidates, elector organizations, third party sponsors, and assent voting advertising sponsors in disclosure statements that are related to local elections and assent voting.
Additional financing details for each entity can be seen by clicking the View Details button.
FRPC only includes election summary information for local elections and assent voting from the 2018 General Local Elections onward.
19. For elector organizations, why are all the surplus campaign funds entered as $0.00?
Elections BC has entered $0.00 for each filer because the term “surplus campaign funds” no longer applies to elector organizations from the 2022 General Local Elections onward. FRPC will be adjusted to reflect this change in a future release.
20. For candidates, why doesn’t the Total Income minus the Total Expenditures equal the Surplus Campaign Funds?
There are two primary reasons. First, some election expenses are required to be “double-counted”. For example, if a candidate displays campaign signs in the election period and the campaign period, the full value must be recorded for each period.
Second, the disclosure statement may be missing transactions, or transactions may have been incorrectly reported. If you are concerned about the information reported, please contact the filer and Elections BC.
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