The State of Disclosure in Alaska
Alaska’s
grade slipped from a C+ to a C in the 2007
assessment, with lower performance in usability
testing accounting for the significant
drop in rank from 13th to 27th overall.
Alaska’s disclosure law requires candidates
to report the name and address of their campaign
contributors, as well as the occupation and
employer of those contributing $250 or more.
While the law does not require subvendor
expenditures to be disclosed, candidates
must report the name of the recipient, and
the purpose for and date of all expenditures
made or accrued. Independent expenditure
disclosure is a weak point in the law, particularly
for last-minute expenditures that are not
disclosed until after the election. While
Alaska’s grades reflect the state’s
current voluntary electronic filing program
for campaign finances, the Governor signed
House Bill 109 into law in 2007 mandating
electronic filing for statewide and legislative
candidates starting in 2009.
The
passage of HB 109 will make electronic
filing the norm in a state where just 14
percent of candidates filed electronically
in 2006. While adequate funding has been
an issue in past system improvements, the
state is investing in a new filing system
to improve the electronic disclosure process.
Alaska earned a B- in the accessibility category
in 2007 and offers good access to campaign
finance data (which is either filed electronically
or data-entered by agency staff) through
a number of search interfaces on the Alaska
Public Offices Commission (APOC) web site.
Unfortunately, the quantity and the labeling
of the search options can be confusing to
site users. Specifically, the most comprehensive
database search tool (vaguely labeled “Ad
Hoc Query”) is last on a lengthy list
of search options. The development of the
new system for online disclosure offers Alaska
an opportunity to improve public access and
create a more user-friendly site structure.
Confusion
over terminology on the site contributed
to a drop from a B+ to a C+ in Alaska’s
Online Contextual and Technical Usability
grade. Usability testers rated their experience
with the site as average and expressed less
confidence in their ability to derive specific
information from the site than testers did
in 2005. While the APOC site provides valuable
contextual information, such as contribution
limits and summaries of campaign finances,
it could be enhanced by providing clear instructions
or a user’s manual for data searches.
→ Quick
Fix: Rename the “Ad
Hoc Query” and prominently
list it as the site’s most
comprehensive database search tool.
♦ Editor’s
Pick: Overviews
of campaign
finance disclosure data for all candidates.
View
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 Disclosure Agency: Alaska Public Offices Commission
Disclosure
Web Site: http://www.state.ak.us/apoc
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