History

VPAP has revolutionized disclosure by taking advantage of two technological developments — the personal computer and the Internet. By distilling the information into a database, VPAP made it possible to analyze tens of thousands of transactions. By posting the data online, VPAP could deliver the information to anyone with Internet access.

The Virginia Public Access Project grew out of a joint effort by Virginia newspapers in 1997 to fix a fundamental flaw in Virginia's system of financing elections. Virginia is one of a handful of states with no contribution limits. Anything goes, as long as candidates identify donors who give more than $100. The system was built upon the premise that making donor information public, candidates will police themselves to avoid the perception that they are beholden to one particular donor or to donors in general. The premise was flawed, however, by the fact that the public had no meaningful access to the information contained in paper disclosure reports sitting in file cabinets at the State Board of Elections.

In March 1997, David Poole took a leave of absence from his job as a political reporter for The Roanoke Times to manage the campaign contribution database for a consortium of five newspapers. Poole envisioned transforming the data into a public resource that would provide meaningful public access. After recruiting a board of directors that shared his vision, VPAP was incorporated that April.

Two months later, VPAP revolutionized campaign finance disclosure in Virginia when it put its database on the World Wide Web. The power of the database —- sorting donations by candidate, occupation and locality — became available to anyone with a PC and a modem.

VPAP was conceived as a short-term "project" that would provide the SBE a roadmap to electronic disclosure. In fact, the board's goal was to put itself out of business within a year or two. VPAP's trailblazing efforts led the General Assembly to enact legislation that allowed candidates to "e-file" and required the State Board of Elections (SBE) to post the information online starting in 1999. VPAP worked with the SBE to develop VAFiling, a software program that makes it easy for candidates and PACs to file electronically.

After the state began providing electronic disclosure, VPAP found a strong and growing demand for the way it organized campaign finance information. VPAP enhances the official public record by assigning unique ID numbers to each donor and tagging each contribution with an occupation. VPAP.org made it easy for the public to navigate and sort hundreds of thousands of transactions. By late 1999, the VPAP Board decided that putting itself out of business was no longer an option.

Key Dates in VPAP History

  • January 1997: VPAP holds first board meeting. Jim Beamer is elected chairman.

  • June 1997: VPAP goes online.

  • September 1997: The IRS grants VPAP status as a 501(c)3 charity.

  • November 1997: Newspaper consortium agrees to extend funding through 1999 elections.

  • Spring 1999 : With VPAP's help, State Board of Elections releases VAFiling software for candidates who wish to e-file campaign finance disclosure reports.

  • January 2000: VPAP expands its database to include expenditures.

  • January 2001: VPAP expands its database to include gifts.

  • May 2001: Kathy Cashel designs new Web site.

  • Fall 2002: VPAP coordinates voluntary disclosure of money raised and spent by groups involved in regional sales-tax and statewide bond referendums.

  • Fall 2003: VPAP posts its first set of local data — contributions to candidates for the Board of Supervisors and Chairman in three counties: Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William.

  • May 2004: VPAP launches new Cashel-designed home page and search features.

  • November 2004: VPAP doubles its staff by hiring a full-time employee to assist Poole.

  • Summer 2005: VPAP expands database to include donors of $500 or more to PACs that e-file with State Board of Elections.

  • September 2005: VPAP launches dynamic maps that visually display donations to statewide candidates from each locality.

  • November 2006: VPAP expands database to include personal financial holding disclosures filed by General Assembly candidates.

  • January 2007: VPAP expands database to include list of registered lobbyists.

  • April 2007: VPAP launches initiative to bring transparency to local elections.

  • May 2007: VPAP maps enhanced to plot donations to the ZIP Code level.

  • April 2008: VPAP completes 6-month process of redesigning its database and computer systems.

  • May 2008: VPAP launches Web redesign built with Ruby on Rails.