Federal Election Commission Announces New Contribution Limits

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced increased limits February 2, 2021, for the 2021-2022 Election Cycle, including changes to the individual contribution limits, coordinated party expenditure limits, and lobbyist bundling limits. Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, 52 U.S.C. 30101-45, these limits are reviewed periodically and adjusted for inflation, as appropriate.

The new limit for contributions from individuals and non-multicandidate PACs to candidates increased from $2,800 per election in the previous cycle to $2,900 per election in the 2021-2022 cycle. Primaries, generals, and runoffs are considered separate elections. Contributions from individuals and non-multicandidate PACs to national party committees increased to $36,500 per year. 

The limits on contributions from multicandidate PACs remained at $5,000 per candidate per election and $15,000 per year to the national party committees. These limits are not subject to periodic increases and have remained unchanged since 1974.

The lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold was increased to $19,300 for calendar year 2021. Bundled contributions are those that are either forwarded to a recipient committee by a lobbyist/registrant or lobbyist/registrant PAC, or received by a committee and credited to a lobbyist/registrant or lobbyist/registrant PAC through "records, designations, or other means of recognizing that a certain amount of money has been raised."

The FEC also increased the party coordinated expenditure limits based on the formulas in the statute. Those amounts are here.

In addition to the federal contribution increases, many states have adjusted their contribution limits for the 2021-2022 election cycle. Ballard Spahr lawyers in our Government Relations and Public Policy Group and Political and Election Law Group track these changes in our 50-state campaign finance reference guide, which our lawyers provide to clients.

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