Click the Map and See Who Gave

Political junkies will get nothing done at work to day.

Want to know who in Macon gave to Obama and how much they gave? With just a couple of clicks, you will have the answer. The FEC has launched a new map feature on their website, a clickable, easy to use map, that allows visitors to view from where, and from whom various Presidential candidate got their cash. The map is up to date as of the last reporting period (the end of March), and they promise to have it updated within two days of the next report, due on June 30. Below is an article about how the service was developed:

Deseret Morning News, Tuesday, June 12, 2007

New Web site shows campaign donors' ZIPs

By Suzanne Struglinski
Deseret Morning News

WASHINGTON — If someone wants to know who in Salt Lake City — or anywhere else in the country — is giving money to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., or Mitt Romney or any of the presidential candidates, the Federal Election Commission will unveil a user-friendly option today.


The commission's Web site, www.fec.gov, will now feature a clickable map that breaks down campaign contributions by ZIP code so the public can see from what areas of the country candidates are getting support.


FEC spokesman Bob Biersack said the commission staff had been thinking for some time about how to make the volumes of data it collects from the candidates more presentable — especially for the citizens to access it and understand it.


The software to make the map cost $12,000, and it took up to 12 people about six weeks to put it all together.


The map data are current through the latest presidential campaign filings that were due in April, and it will be updated less than 24 hours after the next round of campaign-contribution reports need to be filed on July 15, Biersack said.


In Utah, campaign donors have given almost $3 million to the presidential candidates, with about $2.9 million going to Republican candidates and $78,000 going to Democratic candidates, based on data in the new database.


Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who headed Salt Lake City's 2002 Winter Olympics and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has received the most money from Utahns so far — roughly $2.7 million. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has received $113,249 with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at $80,350.


Democrats have received $78,515 from Utahns with Obama receiving the most at $28,415 and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. at $20,150. Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., has received $13,150.


Those accessing the map will be able to see donations given to each candidate by ZIP code, and that can be broken down further to see the individual donor's name and city.





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E-mail: suzanne@desnews.com


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© 2007 Deseret News Publishing Company







H/T to Steve Leeds for this information.

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