Limits on PAC Contributions to Candidates

Limits on PAC Contributions to Candidates

Updated August 2, 2005

	PAC to Candidate Contributions
Alabama	Unlimited
Alaska	$2,000/office/year Contributions from out-of-state PACs prohibited.(i)
Arizona (f)	Limits for the 2005-2006 electoin cycle: Super" PACs: (b) $3,784/statewide candidate $1,512/legislative candidate Regular PACs: $760/statewide candidate $296/legislative candidate Aggregate contributions accepted by a candidate from PACs cannot exceed: $75,624 - statewide candidate $7,568 - legislative candidate If a candidate contributes personal funds to his/her own campaign in excess of the following amounts, then all other candidates for the same office may accept, and PAC's may make, contributions up to the amount of the other candidate's personal contribution: $29,580/statewide candidate $14,800/legislative candidate Amounts are per election (a).
Arkansas	Small Donor PACs: (c) $1,000/candidate/election(a) Regular PACs: $1,000/candidate/election (a)
California (i)	Small Contributor Committees: (i) $22,300/gubernatorial candidate $11,100/other statewide candidate $6,700/legislative candidate Regular PACs: $22,300/gubernatorial candidate $5,600/other statewide candidate $3,300/legislative candidate All amounts are per election (a).
Colorado	"Small Donor" Committees: (e) $5,000/gubernatorial candidate $5,000/other statewide candidate $2,000/legislative candidate Regular PACs: $500/ gubernatorial candidate $500/other statewide candidate $200/legislative candidate All amounts are per election (a).
Connecticut	$2,500/gubernatorial candidate $500/state senate candidate $250/state house candidate Amounts are doubled for a PAC established by a business entity. All amounts are per election (a).
Delaware	$1,200/statewide candidate $600/other candidate Both amounts are per election cycle.
Florida	$500/candidate/election (a)
Georgia	Statewide candidate: $5,000/primary or general election $3,000/primary or general run-off Legislative candidates: $2,000/primary or general election $1,000/primary or general run-off All amounts are per election cycle.
Hawaii	$6,000/statewide candidate $4,000/state senate candidate $2,000/state house candidate All amounts are per election cycle.
Idaho	$5,000/statewide candidate $1,000/legislative candidate Both amounts are per election (a).
Illinois	Unlimited
Indiana	Unlimited
Iowa	Unlimited
Kansas	$2,000/statewide candidate $1,000/state senate candidate $500/state house candidate All amounts are per election cycle.
Kentucky	$1,000/candidate/election (a) Except for gubernatorial slates, no candidate can accept PAC contributions which in the aggregate exceed 50% of the candidate's total contributions or $10,000/election, whichever is greater. Gubernatorial slates that accept public financing may not accept more than 25% of their contributions from PACs. Other gubernatorial states may not accept more than 25% or $150,000 (whichever is less) of contributions from PACs.
Louisiana	Regular PACs: $5,000/statewide candidate/election (a) $2,500/legislative candidate/election (a) "Big" PACs: (d) $10,000/statewide candidate/election (a) $5,000/legislative candidate/election (a) Candidates subject to following aggregate limits on PAC contributions accepted per election cycle: $80,000/statewide candidate $60,000/legislative candidate
Maine (f)	$500/gubernatorial candidate $250/other candidate Both amounts are per election (a).
Maryland	$6,000/candidate/four-year election cycle
Massachusetts	$500/candidate Candidates cannot accept aggregate PAC contributions that exceed the following amounts: $150,000/gubernatorial candidate $18,750/senate candidate $7,500/house candidate All amounts are per calendar year.
Michigan	Political Committees: $3,400/statewide candidate $1,000/senate candidate $500/house candidate Independent Committees (g): $34,000/statewide candidate $10,000/senate candidate $5,000/house candidate All amounts are per election cycle.
Minnesota	Election year limits: $2,000/gubernatorial candidate $500/legislative candidate Non-election year limits: $500/gubernatorial candidate $100/legislative candidate Aggregate contributions from PACs, lobbyists, and individuals who contribute or loan more than half the yearly limit cannot exceed 20% of spending limits. 2005 aggregate limits: $87,524/gubernatorial candidate $2,190/senate candidate $1,140/house candidate 2006 Aggregate limits will be determined in March 2006.
Mississippi	Unlimited
Missouri	$1,200/statewide candidate $600/senate candidate $300/ house candidate All amounts are per election (a).
Montana	$500/gubernatorial slate/election (a) $250/other statewide candidate (a) $100/legislative candidate/election (a) Candidates limited to total contributions from all PACs: $2,150 - state senate candidates (a) $1,300 - state house candidates (a)
Nebraska	Candidates limited to maximum amount in aggregate contributions that can be accepted in an election period from independent committees, corporations, labor unions, associations and political parties: $825,500 - gubernatorial candidates $75,000 - other statewide candidates $ 36,500 - legislative candidates
Nevada	$5,000/candidate/election (a)
New Hampshire	To candidates not agreeing to abide by spending limits: $1,000/election (a) Unlimited to candidates agreeing to abide by spending limits.
New Jersey	$8,200/candidate/election (a)
New Mexico	Unlimited
New York	Gubernatorial candidates: Primary - product of number of enrolled voters in candidate's party in the state x $.005, but not less than $5,400 or more than $16,200 General - $33,900 Legislative candidates: Primary - $5,400/senate candidate $3,400/house candidate General - $8,500/state senate candidate $3,400/state house candidate All amounts are per calendar year.
North Carolina	$4,000/candidate/election (a)
North Dakota	Unlimited
Ohio	$10,000/candidate/election (a)
Oklahoma	$5,000/candidate/election campaign
Oregon	Unlimited
Pennsylvania	Unlimited
Rhode Island	$1,000/candidate/calendar year or $2,000/candidate/calendar year if candidate qualifies for public funding and agrees to abide by spending limits. Annual aggregate limit of $25,000 to all recipients from a single PAC.
South Carolina	$3,500/statewide candidate $1,000/legislative candidate Both amounts are per election cycle (a).
South Dakota	Unlimited
Tennessee	$7,500/statewide candidate $7,500/state senate candidate $5,000/state house candidate No more than 50% of a statewide candidate's total contributions may come from PACs. Legislative candidates may not accept more than $75,000 in the aggregate from PACs. All amounts are per election (a).
Texas	Unlimited
Utah	Unlimited
Vermont	$400/gubernatorial candidate $300/state senate candidate $200/state house candidate No more than 25% of funds may come from non-residents, out-of-state PACs, and political parties (held unconstitutional (h)) All amounts are per 2-year election cycle.
Virginia	Unlimited
Washington	$1,350/gubernatorial candidate $675/legislative candidate Both amounts are per election (a).
West Virginia	$1,000/candidate/election (a)
Wisconsin	$43,128/gubernatorial candidate $1,000/state senate candidate $500/state house candidate Aggregate limit on amount of candidates may accept from all committees, excluding party committees, in an election campaign: $485,190/gubernatorial candidate $15,525/senate candidate $7,763/house candidate All amounts are per election cycle.
Wyoming	Unlimited

Primary, general and special elections are considered separate elections; an individual may contribute the state amount in each election.
In Arizona, a PAC that has received contributions from 500 or more individuals in amounts of $10 or more in a one-year period may qualify as a "Super PAC." Qualification is valid for two years.
In Arkansas, a "Small Donor PAC" is a person or group who receives contributions from one or more individuals in order to make contributions to candidates, does not accept any contributions aggregating more than $25 from any individual in a calendar year, and properly registers under the law.
In Louisiana, a "Big PAC" is a PAC with over 250 members who contributed over $50 to the PAC during the preceding calendar year and has been certified as meeting that membership requirement.
In Colorado, a "small donor committee" is any committee that has accepted contributions only from natural persons contributed no more than $50 in the aggregate per year.
Candidates participating in "Clean Elections" public financing may not accept private contributions after qualifying for public funds.
An "independent committee" must have filed a statement of organization at least six months before the election in which the committee wishes to make contributions; must have supported or opposed three or more candidates for nomination or election; and must have received contributions from at least 25 people.
Vermont's attempt to limit out-of-state contributions was declared unconstitutional on August 7,2002 by the U.S. 2nd court of appeals (view the decision).
In California, a "small contributions committee" is a committee which has been in existance for at least six months, receives contributions from 100 or more persons in amounts of not more than $200 per person, and makes contributions to five or more candidates. (Cal. Govt. Code sec. 85203)

For More Information:
Jennie Drage Bowser mailto:elections-info@ncsl.org?subject=[Campaign Finance].