fec-database / DICTIONARY.md
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FEC data dictionary

Snapshot: 2026-11-09.

Null percentages are exact full-source-table counts rounded to one decimal place. Examples are omitted. Statistics for v_candidate_totals, v_daily_donations, and v_top_donors are unavailable; their SQL definitions are unchanged.

Join entity IDs with cycle. Aggregate child transactions before joining to avoid fan-out. Values are source fields, not validated identities; donor strings are not a reliable unique-person key.

Contributor names/addresses are subject to FEC use restrictions.

candidate_committee_links

Rows: 74,806

Column Type Nulls Join
CAND_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Candidate ID, joins across candidates and contribution tables
CAND_ELECTION_YR INTEGER 0.0%
FEC_ELECTION_YR VARCHAR 0.0%
CMTE_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
CMTE_TP VARCHAR 0.0%
CMTE_DSGN VARCHAR 0.0%
LINKAGE_ID VARCHAR 0.0%
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

candidates

Rows: 77,688

Column Type Nulls Join
CAND_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Candidate ID, joins across candidates and contribution tables
CAND_NAME VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_PTY_AFFILIATION VARCHAR 0.1%
CAND_ELECTION_YR INTEGER 0.0%
CAND_OFFICE_ST VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_OFFICE VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_OFFICE_DISTRICT VARCHAR 0.8%
CAND_ICI VARCHAR 4.9%
CAND_STATUS VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_PCC VARCHAR 17.8% Candidate principal campaign committee, joins candidates to committees.CMTE_ID
CAND_ST1 VARCHAR 1.3%
CAND_ST2 VARCHAR 90.7%
CAND_CITY VARCHAR 0.1%
CAND_ST VARCHAR 1.0%
CAND_ZIP VARCHAR 1.4%
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

committee_contributions

Rows: 5,334,103

Column Type Nulls Join
CMTE_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
AMNDT_IND VARCHAR 0.0% Amendment indicator (N=new, A=amendment, T=termination)
RPT_TP VARCHAR 0.0% Report type code
TRANSACTION_PGI VARCHAR 2.0%
IMAGE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
TRANSACTION_TP VARCHAR 0.0%
ENTITY_TP VARCHAR 2.4% Entity type (IND=individual, COM=committee, etc.)
NAME VARCHAR 1.3%
CITY VARCHAR 1.4%
STATE VARCHAR 1.4%
ZIP_CODE VARCHAR 1.4%
EMPLOYER VARCHAR 100.0%
OCCUPATION VARCHAR 100.0%
TRANSACTION_DT DATE 0.5%
TRANSACTION_AMT DOUBLE 0.0%
OTHER_ID VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_ID VARCHAR 0.3% Candidate ID, joins across candidates and contribution tables
TRAN_ID VARCHAR 0.7% Transaction identifier within a committee
FILE_NUM VARCHAR 0.6%
MEMO_CD VARCHAR 98.3%
MEMO_TEXT VARCHAR 89.4%
SUB_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Unique submission/transaction ID
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

committee_to_committee

Rows: 48,292,895

Column Type Nulls Join
CMTE_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
AMNDT_IND VARCHAR 0.0% Amendment indicator (N=new, A=amendment, T=termination)
RPT_TP VARCHAR 0.0% Report type code
TRANSACTION_PGI VARCHAR 1.7%
IMAGE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
TRANSACTION_TP VARCHAR 0.0%
ENTITY_TP VARCHAR 0.5% Entity type (IND=individual, COM=committee, etc.)
NAME VARCHAR 0.2%
CITY VARCHAR 0.2%
STATE VARCHAR 0.2%
ZIP_CODE VARCHAR 0.2%
EMPLOYER VARCHAR 19.6%
OCCUPATION VARCHAR 19.5%
TRANSACTION_DT DATE 0.1%
TRANSACTION_AMT DOUBLE 0.0%
OTHER_ID VARCHAR 80.7%
TRAN_ID VARCHAR 0.2% Transaction identifier within a committee
FILE_NUM VARCHAR 0.2%
MEMO_CD VARCHAR 19.1%
MEMO_TEXT VARCHAR 50.7%
SUB_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Unique submission/transaction ID
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

committees

Rows: 185,838

Column Type Nulls Join
CMTE_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
CMTE_NM VARCHAR 0.0%
TRES_NM VARCHAR 5.0%
CMTE_ST1 VARCHAR 0.1%
CMTE_ST2 VARCHAR 77.7%
CMTE_CITY VARCHAR 0.1%
CMTE_ST VARCHAR 0.1%
CMTE_ZIP VARCHAR 0.1%
CMTE_DSGN VARCHAR 0.0%
CMTE_TP VARCHAR 0.0%
CMTE_PTY_AFFILIATION VARCHAR 59.4%
CMTE_FILING_FREQ VARCHAR 0.0%
ORG_TP VARCHAR 77.8%
CONNECTED_ORG_NM VARCHAR 51.5%
CAND_ID VARCHAR 63.1% Candidate ID, joins across candidates and contribution tables
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

communication_costs

Rows: 25,768

Column Type Nulls Join
CMTE_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
CMTE_NM VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Candidate ID, joins across candidates and contribution tables
CAND_NAME VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_OFFICE VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_STATE VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_OFFICE_DISTRICT VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_PTY_AFFILIATION VARCHAR 0.0%
TRANSACTION_DT DATE 0.1%
TRANSACTION_AMT DOUBLE 0.0%
TRANSACTION_TP VARCHAR 0.0%
COMMUNICATION_TP VARCHAR 1.6%
COMMUNICATION_CLASS VARCHAR 2.2%
SUPPORT_OPPOSE_IND VARCHAR 1.2%
IMAGE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
LINE_NUM VARCHAR 100.0%
FORM_TP_CD VARCHAR 0.0%
SCHED_TP_CD VARCHAR 0.0%
TRAN_ID VARCHAR 15.2% Transaction identifier within a committee
SUB_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Unique submission/transaction ID
FILE_NUM VARCHAR 1.2%
RPT_YR VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_STATE_DESCRIPTION VARCHAR 0.0%
CAND_PTY_AFFILIATION_DESCRIPTION VARCHAR 0.0%
PURPOSE VARCHAR 100.0%
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

electioneering_communications

Rows: 1,725

Column Type Nulls Join
CANDIDATE_ID VARCHAR 16.1%
CANDIDATE_NAME VARCHAR 16.3%
CANDIDATE_OFFICE VARCHAR 16.3%
CANDIDATE_STATE VARCHAR 16.3%
CANDIDATE_DISTRICT VARCHAR 16.3%
COMMITTEE_ID VARCHAR 0.0%
COMMITTEE_NAME VARCHAR 0.0%
SB_IMAGE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
PAYEE_NAME VARCHAR 0.0%
PAYEE_STREET VARCHAR 0.0%
PAYEE_CITY VARCHAR 0.0%
PAYEE_STATE VARCHAR 0.2%
DISBURSEMENT_DESCRIPTION VARCHAR 8.4%
DISBURSEMENT_DATE DATE 0.0%
COMMUNICATION_DATE DATE 1.3%
PUBLIC_DISBURSEMENT_DATE DATE 0.3%
REPORTED_DISBURSEMENT_AMOUNT DOUBLE 0.0%
NUMBER_OF_CANDIDATES VARCHAR 0.0%
CALCULATED_CANDIDATE_SHARE DOUBLE 0.0%
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

independent_expenditures

Rows: 635,427

Column Type Nulls Join
cand_id VARCHAR 8.9%
cand_name VARCHAR 0.0%
spe_id VARCHAR 0.0%
spe_nam VARCHAR 0.0%
ele_type VARCHAR 0.0%
can_office_state VARCHAR 21.2%
can_office_dis VARCHAR 0.1%
can_office VARCHAR 0.1%
cand_pty_aff VARCHAR 10.1%
exp_amo DOUBLE 0.0%
exp_date DATE 12.6%
agg_amo DOUBLE 0.1%
sup_opp VARCHAR 0.0%
pur VARCHAR 0.0%
pay VARCHAR 0.1%
file_num VARCHAR 0.0%
amndt_ind VARCHAR 0.0%
tran_id VARCHAR 0.0%
image_num VARCHAR 0.0%
receipt_dat DATE 0.0%
fec_election_yr VARCHAR 0.0%
prev_file_num VARCHAR 88.4%
dissem_dt DATE 55.3%
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

individual_contributions

Rows: 285,673,429

Column Type Nulls Join
CMTE_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
AMNDT_IND VARCHAR 0.0% Amendment indicator (N=new, A=amendment, T=termination)
RPT_TP VARCHAR 0.0% Report type code
TRANSACTION_PGI VARCHAR 16.1%
IMAGE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
TRANSACTION_TP VARCHAR 0.0%
ENTITY_TP VARCHAR 0.2% Entity type (IND=individual, COM=committee, etc.)
NAME VARCHAR 0.0%
CITY VARCHAR 0.0%
STATE VARCHAR 0.1%
ZIP_CODE VARCHAR 0.1%
EMPLOYER VARCHAR 4.4%
OCCUPATION VARCHAR 4.2%
TRANSACTION_DT DATE 0.0%
TRANSACTION_AMT DOUBLE 0.0%
OTHER_ID VARCHAR 42.1%
TRAN_ID VARCHAR 0.2% Transaction identifier within a committee
FILE_NUM VARCHAR 0.2%
MEMO_CD VARCHAR 99.4%
MEMO_TEXT VARCHAR 42.1%
SUB_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Unique submission/transaction ID
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

operating_expenditures

Rows: 19,858,782

Column Type Nulls Join
CMTE_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
AMNDT_IND VARCHAR 0.0% Amendment indicator (N=new, A=amendment, T=termination)
RPT_YR VARCHAR 0.0%
RPT_TP VARCHAR 0.0% Report type code
IMAGE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
LINE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
FORM_TP_CD VARCHAR 0.0%
SCHED_TP_CD VARCHAR 0.0%
NAME VARCHAR 0.1%
CITY VARCHAR 0.3%
STATE VARCHAR 0.3%
ZIP_CODE VARCHAR 0.5%
TRANSACTION_DT DATE 0.0%
TRANSACTION_AMT DOUBLE 0.0%
TRANSACTION_PGI VARCHAR 48.2%
PURPOSE VARCHAR 0.5%
CATEGORY VARCHAR 72.8%
CATEGORY_DESC VARCHAR 73.9%
MEMO_CD VARCHAR 73.0%
MEMO_TEXT VARCHAR 78.9%
ENTITY_TP VARCHAR 7.5% Entity type (IND=individual, COM=committee, etc.)
SUB_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Unique submission/transaction ID
FILE_NUM VARCHAR 0.0%
TRAN_ID VARCHAR 0.0% Transaction identifier within a committee
BACK_REF_TRAN_ID VARCHAR 79.2%
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

v_candidate_totals

Column Type Nulls Join
cycle INTEGER Unavailable Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables
CMTE_ID VARCHAR Unavailable Committee ID, joins to committees table and contribution tables
cand_ids VARCHAR Unavailable
candidate_names VARCHAR Unavailable
party VARCHAR Unavailable
office VARCHAR Unavailable
state VARCHAR Unavailable
num_contributions BIGINT Unavailable
net_individual DOUBLE Unavailable

v_daily_donations

Column Type Nulls Join
date DATE Unavailable
cycle INTEGER Unavailable Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables
num_donations BIGINT Unavailable
total_amount DOUBLE Unavailable
avg_amount DOUBLE Unavailable
median_amount DOUBLE Unavailable

v_pac_to_candidate

Column Type Nulls Join
pac_name VARCHAR 0.0%
connected_org VARCHAR 42.0%
candidate_name VARCHAR 0.0%
candidate_party VARCHAR 0.0%
office VARCHAR 0.0%
state VARCHAR 0.0%
transaction_type VARCHAR 0.0%
amount DOUBLE 0.0%
date DATE 0.0%
cycle INTEGER 0.0% Election cycle (even year), present in all FEC tables

v_top_donors

Column Type Nulls Join
NAME VARCHAR Unavailable
EMPLOYER VARCHAR Unavailable
OCCUPATION VARCHAR Unavailable
STATE VARCHAR Unavailable
num_contributions BIGINT Unavailable
net_donated DOUBLE Unavailable
first_cycle INTEGER Unavailable
last_cycle INTEGER Unavailable
num_committees BIGINT Unavailable