FEC Adjusts Some Political Contribution Limits for 2017-2018 Cycle
The Federal Election Commission has made minor adjustments to some of the individual and PAC contribution limits for the 2017-2018 election cycle. The amount that individuals and non-multicandidate PACs can give to federal candidates remains at $2700 per election to each federal candidate. Since primary and general election contests are viewed as separate “elections,” an individual or a non-multicandidate PAC may contribute a total of $5400 to a federal candidate. The $5,000 per year individual contribution limit to PACs is also not affected.
On the other hand, individuals and non-multicandidate PACs can now give $33,900 per year to each national party committee (up from $33,400). They can also give $101,700 per year (up from $100,200) to each of the national party committee accounts for presidential nominating conventions, election recount and legal proceedings, and national party headquarters buildings.
Contribution limits for larger PACs are not readjusted each election cycle. As a result, “multicandidate” PACs – those with 51 or more contributors that have contributed to 5 or more federal candidates – can still contribute $5000 per candidate per election, $15,000 per year to a national party committee, $5000 per year to other PACs, and $45,000 per year to each of the national party special accounts.
The FEC also adjusted the reporting threshold for candidates, leadership PACs and political parties that receive lobbyist bundled contributions. Now, they must report contributions aggregated by a lobbyist if they exceed $17,900 in a semiannual period.
The 2017-2018 contribution chart is available here.