import re def read_file(filename): with open(filename, 'r') as f: return f.read() def get_ballots(f): BALLOT_DATA_RE = re.compile( r'(\d\d)\n(.*)\n(\d\d\d\d)\n(.*)\n([\d\.]+)\n(.*)\n(.*)') m = re.findall(BALLOT_DATA_RE, f) for x in m: commitee_id, commitee, city_id, city, ballot_id, ballot_address, ballot_location = x print commitee_id, commitee, city_id, city, ballot_id, ballot_address, ballot_location f = read_file('ballots.txt') data = get_ballots(f) print data