Electronic Filing System (EFS) Web Application
WHAT IS THE EFS WEB APPLICATION?
The New York State Board of Elections is pleased to announce it transitioned all filers from its Electronic Filing System (EFS) desktop application software to a web-based system, as of Monday, January 25, 2021 at 8:00am.
While the previous EFS desktop applications were only accessible on the device on which they were originally installed, the EFS Web Application is accessible from any desktop, laptop, or tablet device connected to the internet. The applicaton was developed by the New York State Board of Elections and tested both internally and by filers. It features a user-friendly dashboard interface where filers are able to create, submit, and view disclosure reports.
Please be aware that the web-based system utilizes an email address and password for filer log-in.
- All filers were assigned a NEW Filer ID, made up of digits only.
- Old Filer IDs (the letter A or C followed by five digits) are no longer used.
- Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) are no longer used.
If you have not provided the treasurer’s email address to the New York State Board of Elections already, please contact the Campaign Finance Call Center at (518) 474-8200 promptly to do so.
Effective January 25, 2021 at 8:00am, a filer is unable to submit any disclosure reports without a valid email address.
HOW CAN I LEARN TO USE THE EFS WEB APPLICATION?
Since the launch of the EFS Web Application, the New York State Board of Elections has provided training to filers, both in a live webinar format and with posted videos.
The New York State Board of Elections strongly encourages all filers to sign up for a webinar. Please note that these webinars will only focus on the EFS Web Application and will not cover all campaign finance issues.
Live Webinars
The New York State Board of Elections hosts live webinars via Webex to demonstrate the EFS Web Application to filers.
The following EFS Web Application training webinars are scheduled for 2023:
- Monday, May 22, 2023 — 1:00pm
- Thursday, June 15, 2023 — 10:00am
- Wednesday, July 12, 2023 — 9:00am
- Tuesday, August 15, 2023 — 1:00pm
- Wednesday, September 20, 2023 — 9:00am
Preregistration is required in order to receive the Webex meeting information.
Training Videos
In addition to our live webinars, the NYS Board of Elections has created a series of short videos for filers to learn how to use the web-based system. The videos may be watched one right after the other as a full training session about the web-based Electronic Filing System (EFS), or you may simply watch the topics which pertain to the specific questions you may have.
Full Playlist of Training VideosUser Guide
WHAT DO I USE THE EFS WEB APPLICATION FOR?
Effective January 25, 2021, all campaign finance disclosure with the New York State Board of Elections is to be done through the EFS Web Application. The EFS Web Application is used for:
ITEMIZED REPORTS
Filers will use the EFS Web Application to create reports, enter all required data, and submit the reports to the New York State Board of Elections.
The EFS Web Application is also used to amend any itemized reports — both reports created in the old desktop software applications and those created in the web application.
NON-ITEMIZED REPORTS
In-Lieu-Of Statement
In order to qualify to file an In-Lieu-Of Statement, you must be a candidate and/or an authorized committee solely supporting one candidate or a committee involved solely in promoting the success or defeat of a ballot proposal, and at the close of the applicable reporting period, neither the total receipts nor the total expenditures of the campaign have exceeded $1,000. If you have previously filed an In-Lieu-Of Statement and find that you now exceed this $1,000 threshold, you must file an itemized report covering all transactions since the beginning of the campaign. Once an itemized report is required, you may not file an In-Lieu-Of Statement for any future reporting period.
No-Activity Report
In order to qualify to file a No-Activity Report, there cannot have been any activity (i.e., receipts and/or expenditures, such as interest, dividends and bank charges) during the reporting period and, therefore, there are no transactions to report. The filer must also have no outstanding loans or liabilities to disclose.
NOTIFICATIONS
24-Hour Notice
A 24-Hour Notice is required from all committee types for any contribution or loan received which exceeds $1,000 whose transaction date falls between the cut-off date of the 11-Day Pre-Election Report and the date of the Election. NOTE: This requirement applies to all Primary, General and Special Elections. You still must include these transactions on the post-election filing.
Notice of Non-Participation in Election(s) by a Registered PAC, Party or Constituted Committee or Independent Expenditure Committee (CF-20)
The New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) assumes that all active filers of these committee types are supporting candidates for election. Therefore, NYSBOE expects to receive election reports from them for the Primary and/or General Election unless otherwise notified through receipt of a Notice of Non-Participation in Election(s). In order to qualify to file a Notice of Non-Participation in Election(s) for the Primary and/or General Election, a filer cannot support, in any way, any candidate or political committee which is a participant in the particular election(s) in which the filer seeks to qualify. A Notice of Non-Participation in Election(s) may NOT be filed for Periodic Reports.
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE REPORTING
Weekly Reports & 24-Hour Notices for Contributions/Loans
- When a contribution or loan of $1,000 or more is received within 30 days of the applicable election, such transaction must be electronically disclosed within 24 hours to the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE).
- When a contribution or loan of $1,000 or more is received outside of the 30-day window, such transaction must be electronically disclosed on a weekly basis, on Monday, to NYSBOE.
- All 24-Hour and Weekly disclosures must be reported to NYSBOE on the next applicable election-related or periodic report.
Weekly Reports & 24-Hour Notices for Expenditures
- When an expenditure over $5,000 is made within 30 days of the applicable election, such transaction must be electronically disclosed within 24 hours to the NYSBOE.
- When an expenditure over $5,000 is made outside of the 30-day window, such transaction must be electronically disclosed on a weekly basis, on Monday, to NYSBOE.
- All 24-Hour and Weekly disclosures must be reported to NYSBOE on the next applicable election-related or periodic report.
Weekly Reports for Liabilities Incurred
- When a liability is incurred over $5,000 (year-round), such transaction must be electronically disclosed on a weekly basis, on Monday, to NYSBOE.
- All Weekly disclosures must be reported to NYSBOE on the next applicable election-related or periodic report.
Paid Internet & Digital Ads (PIDA) Disclosure
- Copies of paid internet or digital ads (“PIDA”) targeted to 50 or more people must be submitted to the NYSBOE at the same time AND IN ADDITION TO the applicable Weekly or 24-Hour Independent Expenditure Report.
- Required copies for such Weekly Reports would include Independent Expenditures in the form of PIDAs over $500.
- Required copies for such 24-Hour Reports would include Independent Expenditures in the form of PIDAs over $5,000.
- Submitted copies of the ads must be in an accessible format that can be read with a screen reader, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If the advertisement has a video or audio component, the committee must submit a script and reasonable description of any visual elements. The committee should not submit video or audio files to the NYSBOE.
CAMPAIGN MATERIAL
Campaign Material can be directly uploaded by the filer into the EFS Web Application.
The term “Campaign Material” includes all broadcast, cable or satellite schedules and scripts, internet, print and other types of advertisements, pamphlets, circulars, flyers, brochures, letterheads and other printed matter, purchased or produced and reproductions of statements or information published to 500 or more members of a general public audience by computer or other electronic device including but not limited to electronic mail or text message in connection with a specific election.
Any filer required to file Primary, General and/or Special Election campaign financial disclosure reports must, at the same time the applicable post-election campaign financial disclosure report is due, submit copies of all the filer's campaign materials, purchased or produced by or under the authority of the person filing the post-election report, or the committee or the person on whose behalf it is filed.
Notice to Filers Regarding Political Advertisements (
pdf 156KB)
To file campaign materials electronically, the following requirements on document size and type must be met:
- The file must be in pdf, jpeg, or png format;
- The following documents are not acceptable and will be rejected: all video and audio files and any compressed, encrypted, or executable files;
- PDFs should contain text or low-resolution images only;
- Each individual file must be 5 MB or less.
The New York State Board of Elections does not need a copy of an actual commercial, video or audio clip. A copy of the script is all that is required.
LOAN/LIABILITY DOCUMENTATION
Filers are able to upload the following required supporting documentation directly into the EFS Web Application:
- Letters of Indebtedness/Promissory Notes for loans received
- Letters of Forgiveness for loans or liabilities forgiven
For technical support regarding the EFS Web Application, please contact the New York State Board of Elections IT Help Desk at (518) 473-4803 or email support@elections.ny.gov.