Can A Pac Donate Money To A Campaign
In the 2014 election cycle, candidates for country function across the country raise over three billion dollars in campaign contributions--and since then the number has increased further. This number was just attained by reaching out to a variety of sources, such as state political parties, corporations, unions, political action committees, and individuals.
To aid ensure that these groups take no corruptive influence on election and campaigns, many states impose contribution limits on candidates, dictating how much any one entity tin requite a campaign
This folio provides an overview of the types of restrictions states place on contribution limits, and gives examples of certain statutory restrictions. For information on other types of campaign finance restrictions, please visit our pages on disclosure and public financing of elections.
Individual Contribution Limits
Only eleven states (Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Virginia) impose no contribution limits on individual donors. The other 39 states restrict the corporeality of money that whatever one individual tin can contribute to a state campaign. These limits are typically dependent upon the office the candidate seeks. For example, Connecticut restricts individual spending to $1,000 for a candidate in a country senate race and $250 for a candidate for a state firm seat.
Using information from the 2019-2020 election bike, this chart shows the wide range of contribution limits across states:
| Governor | Land Senate | State Business firm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Average | $6,126 | $2,947 | $2,539 |
| National Median | $4,000 | $2,000 | $1,600 |
| Highest Limit | $47,100 (New York) | $13,292 (Ohio) | $13,292 (Ohio) |
| Everyman Limit | $500 (Alaska) | $180 (Montana) | $180 (Montana) |
Following the Supreme Court's decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Committee, 134 S.Ct. 1434 (2014), limits on the total corporeality of money an individual tin can contribute during an ballot cycle violate the First Amendment, and are therefore unconstitutional. McCutcheon dealt with federal election spending, simply the ruling trickled down to state statutes dealing with aggregate contribution limits. Before the ruling, 9 states imposed aggregate contribution limits on the overall amount individuals and groups could contribute to candidates.
Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York'due south ballot law agencies have announced they will no longer enforce their states' amass contribution limits, and Wisconsin'south was struck down by the courts in response to McCutcheon. While limitations on the amount of money an individual tin can contribute to a specific campaign tin can remain in place, states more than likely volition not be able to impose an aggregate limit on campaign contributions from individuals.
For a complete listing of contribution limits from individuals, delight see NCSL'southward webpage on Land Limits on Contributions to Candidates.
State Party Contribution Limits
xix states impose no restrictions on the ability of state party committees to contribute money to a candidate's campaign. Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, and New York allow state parties to donate unlimited sums if the candidate meets certain qualifications, such as running uncontested or agreeing by certain spending limits. The remaining 27 states accept some sort of restriction on funds from political parties, falling into two camps. Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico and West Virginia require parties to follow the aforementioned contribution limits established for individuals. The other twenty states outline divide limits for political parties.
NCSL's webpage on State Limits on Contributions to Candidates provides farther data on contribution limits for state political parties.
Corporation Contribution Limits
22 states completely prohibit corporations from contributing to political campaigns. Another v—Alabama, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah and Virginia—allow corporations to contribute an unlimited amount of money to state campaigns. Of the remaining 23 states, xix impose the same restrictions on corporation contributions every bit they exercise for individual contributions. The other iv set different limits.
Again, please refer to NCSL's webpage on State Limits on Contributions to Candidates for more information on corporate contribution limits.
Political Action group Contribution Limits
PACs, or political activeness committees, are organizations that pool entrada contributions from its members to back up or oppose candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. Oftentimes formed in support of a specific candidate or ballot mensurate, PACs represent 1 way a corporation can contribute to a candidate's campaign without violating restrictions on corporate influence in elections. If a corporation desired to course a PAC, pooling contributions from its employees or outside sources into a distinct bank account, the PAC tin spend money to influence elections in a style the corporation cannot by itself. thirteen states permit PACs to contribute unlimited amounts of coin to state campaigns.
The remaining 37 either impose the same limitations as those for individuals or provide a separate contribution limit. After the Supreme Court'due south decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), PACs can spend unlimited amounts of coin on broadcasts and communications related to an election, provided they deed independently of any 1 candidate. (Follow this link to learn more about campaign finance and the Supreme Court.)
To see electric current and pending legislation dealing with entrada finance, please visit the 2015 to Present Campaign Finance Legislation Database, which hosts bill dealing with contribution limits.
Additional Resources
- NCSL's 50-State Chart on Contribution Limits for the 2019-2020 Election Cycle
- Campaign Finance External Resources
- 2015 to Present Database of Entrada Finance Legislation Database
- For more than information on other ways states regulate entrada finance, run across our pages on Disclosure and Reporting Requirements and Public Financing.
About This Project
The content for this webpage was created by Brian Cruikshank from William and Mary Law School, in coordination with NCSL's staff.
If you don't find the information yous need, please contact our elections squad at 303-364-7700 or elections-info@ncsl.org. NCSL staff can exercise specialized searches for legislators and legislative staff.
Source: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/campaign-contribution-limits-overview.aspx
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