n the last five years, new technology has pushed data about campaign contributors out of file cabinets into the around-the-clock visibility of the Web. Many states adopted the new electronic filing systems with reservations, but most state election officials reported in a survey released today that they worked well, saved money and were popular with the public.

The officials also reported strong satisfaction with the new systems among candidates and the news media. The survey, by the Center of Governmental Studies, a nonprofit research group in Los Angeles, covered officials in 50 states, six cities and six Canadian provinces.

"We used to have crowds of reporters waiting for copies," said Lee Daghlian, director of public information for the New York Board of Elections in Albany. "Now, no one shows up here."

The survey found that 46 states and the federal government collected campaign financial disclosure statements with computer technology. Most of those states post some of that information on their Web sites. Twenty states require candidates and committees to file electronically if they raise or spend a certain amount of money.

In some states, candidates may choose whether to file reports on paper or electronically. Officials in some of those states, including Florida and New Mexico, indicated in the survey that they wanted to make electronic filing mandatory.

"We're learning that if it's not mandatory, most filers won't take the time to do it," said Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies. In many cases, Mr. Stern said, candidates fear that making the data public faster places them at a disadvantage.

The survey found that most criticism of electronic filing involved technical issues. Several officials said they needed more oversight of software vendors, more technical expertise in their offices and more testing of the computer programs.

Many state legislatures have fought over computer filing and Internet disclosure. In California, six bills to approve electronic disclosure were killed in three years. The seventh bill passed in 1997.

Opponents argued that the systems were costly, would create more work for government and invaded contributors' privacy.

In the 28 jurisdictions with figures available, the median cost of setting up the systems was $164,000. The costs ranged from less than $25,000 in Arizona and Alaska to more than $1 million in California. For the 20 jurisdictions in which the figures were available, the median annual budget for the programs was $87,500.

New York State started requiring candidates to file financial reports electronically in 1999. The state issues free software to help them do so. Once filed, the reports are posted on the Internet.

Mr. Daghlian said the greater disclosure encouraged more accurate reporting. "The public looks at it, so what's filed is of better quality and more honest," he said.