Eleanor Finch
Campaign contributions are a crucial aspect of political campaigns, and understanding their public nature is essential. In the United States, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. This information is publicly accessible, with certain conditions. Generally, contributions of $200 or more are considered part of the public record, although this can vary by state, with some states having lower thresholds for public disclosure. Additionally, organizations like OpenSecrets provide further insights into the flow of money in U.S. politics, tracking campaign expenditures and lobbying activities. The availability of this information allows for transparency and accountability in the campaign financing process, enabling the public to follow the money behind political campaigns and elections.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Public Record | Only donations over $200 are part of the public record. |
| Donor Lookup | OpenSecrets provides a donor lookup database that includes Federal Election Commission records of receipts from all individuals who contribute at least $200. |
| Federal Election Commission | Maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. |
| Donations to Politicians | Can also be made through Political Action Committees (PACs). |
| PACs | Can be established by corporations, labor organizations, incorporated membership organizations, trade associations, and national banks. |
| Annual Cash Limit | $50 from an individual to a candidate or committee. |
| Annual Aggregate Contribution Limit | $5,000 from an individual, lobbyist, PAC, people's committee, or party committee to all committees of any one party, including state and local levels. |
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What You'll Learn
Individual contributions to federal elections are public record
Individual contributions to federal elections are a matter of public record. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. This database is accessible to the public and allows users to search for contributors by name, employer, occupation, location, date, and amount contributed.
However, it is important to note that not all contributions are included in the public record. According to federal law, only contributions of $200 or more are made public. Smaller contributions are not disclosed. This threshold may vary at the state level, with some states requiring the disclosure of contributions as low as $101.
There are also organizations like OpenSecrets, which is a research group dedicated to tracking money in U.S. politics. They provide a donor lookup tool that allows users to trace donations to politicians and political committees at the federal and state levels. OpenSecrets does not provide street address or phone information for contributors.
Additionally, there are limits on the amount that individuals can contribute to federal elections. For publicly funded presidential primary candidates, only a maximum of $250 of each individual's contribution is counted towards federal matching funds. There are also rules regarding the sources of contributions, with certain types of organizations and individuals prohibited from contributing, such as corporations, labor organizations, and national banks.
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Only donations over $200 are part of the public record
Campaign contributions are indeed a matter of public record, but this only applies to donations over $200. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. This database is publicly accessible and allows users to search for individual contributors by name, employer, occupation, location, date of contribution, and amount of contribution.
The FEC website lists donations from individual contributors, and in 2023-2024, there were 93 million donations listed, with amounts ranging below $5. However, these records are for donations to "federally registered political committees," which may exclude certain elections and candidates.
OpenSecrets, a research group that tracks money in U.S. politics, also provides a donor lookup tool. Their database includes Federal Election Commission records of receipts from individuals who contribute at least $200, with smaller contributions not being part of the public record. It's important to note that contribution data on donor lookup tools may be limited and not always up-to-date.
State-level variations exist, such as in Tennessee, where donations of $101 and above are public. Additionally, cumulative donations to the same campaign, even if they are smaller individual amounts, may also be disclosed, depending on the candidate's prerogative.
Campaigns are prohibited from receiving contributions from certain entities, including corporations, national banks, and labor organizations, with some exceptions, such as funds from separate segregated funds. There are also limits to the amounts that can be contributed annually by individuals, lobbyists, PACs, and committees, which vary depending on the state and level of politics.
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State-level candidates' donations are public record
Campaign contributions are often a matter of public record, and this is true of state-level candidates' donations as well. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. This database is publicly accessible and allows users to search for contributors by name, employer, occupation, location, and contribution amount and date.
However, it's important to note that federal law only requires the disclosure of contributions of $200 or more. Smaller contributions are not considered part of the public record. State laws may vary, and in some states, such as Tennessee, the threshold for public disclosure of donations may be lower, at $101 or more.
Organizations like OpenSecrets provide a donor lookup tool that allows users to trace donations to politicians and political committees at both the federal and state levels. They also offer insights into the industries and organizations supporting state-level candidates and judicial officeholders in states that elect judges. While OpenSecrets does not provide street addresses or phone numbers for contributors, it helps track the flow of money in American politics, strengthening democracy.
Additionally, at the state level, specific regulations may apply. For example, in Texas, candidates who have not selected modified reporting and are opposed in an upcoming election must file reports of contributions and expenditures by certain deadlines before the election. These reports are publicly available and provide insights into the financial aspects of political campaigns.
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Candidates can use personal funds for campaigns, without limits
Candidates can use their personal funds for campaigns without any limits. This means that they can spend their own money on their campaigns without any restrictions. However, it is important to note that candidates must report the amount they spend to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). This is a legal requirement, and the FEC maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees.
The FEC website allows individuals to search for specific contributors by their first and last name, employer, occupation, city, state, zip code, date of contribution, and the amount contributed. This information is made public, and anyone can look up who has donated to a particular campaign.
It is worth noting that there are different rules for donations made by third parties. When a third party pays a candidate's expenses, it is considered a contribution unless the payment would have been made regardless of the candidacy. For example, if a candidate is on leave without pay, the continued payment of fringe benefits such as health insurance and retirement may be considered contributions from the employer to the campaign.
In addition, there are specific rules regarding donations from family members of the candidate. Contributions from family members are subject to the same limits that apply to any other individual. For example, a candidate's parent or spouse may not contribute more than the individual contribution limit per election.
Overall, while candidates can use their personal funds for campaigns without limits, there are still reporting requirements and regulations in place to ensure transparency and compliance with campaign finance laws.
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Some organisations can donate to Political Action Committees (PACs)
Campaign contributions are indeed public, though this depends on the amount. In the US, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. However, only donations of $200 and above are part of the public record.
Political Action Committees (PACs) are organisations that can receive donations from individuals, companies, nonprofits, or other labour or trade groups. They pool these donations to contribute larger amounts to politicians or political parties. PACs are one of the only ways the general public can gain the attention of politicians and political parties.
There are different types of PACs, including Super PACs and Hybrid PACs, which are nonconnected committees that solicit and accept unlimited contributions from various groups. Super PACs, in particular, have been responsible for high levels of outside spending in elections.
Corporate PACs, also known as Separate Segregated Funds (SSFs), are highly regulated and must keep their donations in a separate fund. They cannot use funds from their general treasury. Connected PACs, which include Corporate PACs, account for 73% of total PAC giving.
While PACs are a way for organisations to donate to political causes, there are still restrictions. For example, campaigns are prohibited from accepting contributions from certain types of organisations and individuals, including corporations and labour organisations. However, they can accept contributions from PACs established by these same groups, as well as from national banks.
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Frequently asked questions
Campaign contributions are public, but only for donations over $200.
The maximum annual aggregate contribution that an individual can make is $5,000.
Yes, the annual cash limit from an individual to a candidate or committee is $50.
No, campaigns cannot accept contributions from corporations, including nonprofit corporations, labour organizations, and national banks.
OpenSecrets and FEC are two organizations that track money in U.S. politics and provide data on campaign contributions.
