Contribution Limits

Contribution Limits
Updated September 10, 2003

Introduction - Contributions to Candidates - Contributions during the Legislative Sessions
Contributions to Political Parties - Contributions to Political Committees (PACs) - 50-state charts

Introduction

Many states have limited campaign contributions and expenditures and required detailed disclosure of political contributions and expenditures since the 1970s. Such reforms are made in response to public concern about the increasing costs of campaigns and the potential for corruption that arises when money and politics are combined.

States commonly place limits on contributions to candidates from various sources, and also on contributions to political action committees (PACs) and political parties. Just five states - Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Virginia - place no limits on contributions at all. Another seven states - Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Texas - have minimal contribution limits. These states limit contributions by corporations and/or unions, but leave contributions from most other sources unlimited.

You'll find 50-state data on all these limits through the links below.

Contributions to Candidates

Individuals - 37 states place limits on contributions by individuals to candidates. The lowest limit is $200, split between the primary and general elections, to a legislative candidate in Montana, and the highest is a total of up to $50,100, split between the primary and general elections, to a gubernatorial candidate in New York. The averages among the 37 states are as follows: $6,011 to a gubernatorial candidate and $2496 to a legislative candidate (both amounts represent limits for the primary and general election combined).

Chart of Limits on Individual Contributions to Candidates

Political Action Committees - Many states also limit the amounts that may be contributed to candidates by PACs - only 14 states do not. Limits on PAC contributions are generally similar or even identical to the limits on individual contributions.

Some states differentiate between two types of PACs and establish different contribution limits for the types. For example, in Arizona a PAC may qualify for "super PAC" status if it receives contributions from 500 or more individuals in amounts of $10 or more during a one-year period. "Super PACs" may contribute nearly five times the amount a regular PAC is permitted to contribute. Arkansas, California, Colorado, Louisiana, and Michigan have similar provisions.

Some states also place limits on the total amount a candidate can receive from PACs. In Arizona, it is $71,888 for a gubernatorial candidate and $7,192 for legislative candidates. Other states that limit the total dollars a candidate may accept from PACs are Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska and Wisconsin. In Kentucky, most candidates candidate cannot accept PAC contributions which in the aggregate exceed 50% of total contributions or $10,000 (whichever is greater) in an election cycle. Tennessee has a similar provision.

Rhode Island limits the total amount PACs can give to a maximum of $1,000 per candidate and a combined total of no more than $25,000 to all recipients in a year.

Alaska prohibits contributions from out-of-state PACs. Vermont law includes a limit on contributions from out-of-state PACs, individuals and parties, but it was held unconstitutional in 2002.

Chart of Limits on PAC Contributions to Candidates

Political Parties - Fewer than half the states, just 22, limit contributions from political parties to candidates. However, among the 28 states that do not limit the amount a party may give to a candidate, seven place limits on the total amount candidates may accept from parties, which effectively limits party giving. Among the states that do limit party contributions, the limits tend to be significantly higher than those imposed on individual and PAC contributions. Kansas limits how much parties may contribute in primary elections (limits range from $500 to a state house candidate to $2,000 to a gubernatorial candidate), but places no limits on party contributions in general elections. New York prohibits party contributions in primaries, but places no limits on party contributions in general elections.

Chart of Limits on Political Party Contributions to Candidates

Corporations and Labor Unions - Contributions from corporations and labor unions also are often limited, and outright prohibited in nearly half the states. A total of 22 states prohibit corporations from contributing to candidates from their corporate treasuries. In most of these states, corporations are permitted to sponsor and solicit funds for a political action committee, but may neither contribute corporate funds to the PAC, require contributions from officers and employees, nor increase officers' or employees' salaries so that they may contribute to the PAC. In only five states are corporate contributions unlimited. In the remaining 23 states, corporations are allowed to give to candidates in limited amounts. 14 states prohibit labor unions from contributing to candidates, eight place no limits on union contributions, and the remainder limit the amounts unions may contribute.

Chart of Limits on Corporate Contributions to Candidates

Chart of Limits on Labor Union Contributions to Candidates

Contributions during the Legislative Sessions

28 states place restrictions on giving and receiving campaign contributions during the legislative session. In some states, the ban applies only to contributions by lobbyists, principals and/or political committees; other states have a general ban on contributions. South Carolina bans lobbyist contributions at any time; not just during a legislative session.

Chart of Limits on Contributions during the Legislative Session

Contributions to Political Parties

This section is under construction. Please check back later.

Contributions to Political Committees (PACs)

This section is under construction. Please check back later.

50-State Charts

Chart of Limits on Individual Contributions to Candidates
Chart of Limits on Labor Union Contributions to Candidates
Chart of Limits on Corporate Contributions to Candidates
Chart of Limits on Political Party Contributions to Candidates
Chart of Limits on PAC Contributions to Candidates

For more information on campaign finance reform, contact Jennie Drage Bowser elections-info@ncsl.org.