The state’s electronic database for campaign finance reports is drawing continued concerns from a government watchdog group.
The Campaign Finance Information System went online earlier this year, allowing candidates to file their financial reports online. However, Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says the system remains a huge mess. McCabe says it’s an exceedingly complex system that’s been weighed down by extra features, which has sacrificed functionality to accommodate the “bells and whistles.”
McCabe says the database is also riddled with errors. Audits by the WDC have found hundreds of thousands of dollars of mislabeled campaign contributions, along with reports that are missing completely.
The database was intended to make it easier for candidates to file reports and for the public to access them. However, McCabe says it’s currently harder to find information than it was under the system CFIS replaced.
The Government Accountability Board admits there are problems with the system, which the agency is working to correct.
