Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold
As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act ("the Act"), the Federal Election Commission ("the Commission") is adjusting certain expenditure limitations and t...
Notice of adjustments to expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.
SUMMARY:
As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act (“the Act”), the Federal Election Commission (“the Commission”) is adjusting certain expenditure limitations and the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information that follows.
DATES:
The new limitations apply beginning on January 1, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
1050 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20463.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, Information Division, (202) 694-1100 or (800) 424-9530,
info@fec.gov.
Under 52 U.S.C. 30116(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure limitations established by 52 U.S.C. 30116(d) (the limits on expenditures by national party committees, state party committees, or their subordinate committees in connection with the general election campaign of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for inflation. This expenditure limitation is increased by the percent difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 1974). 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(i), (2)(B)(i).
1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States With More Than One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House of Representatives in states with more than one congressional district.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(B). This limitation also applies to the District of Columbia and territories that elect individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.[1] Id.
The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such states and territories multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price index (6.17976), rounding to the nearest $100.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2024 general elections for House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is $61,800.
2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives in States With Only One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate or in the House of Representatives in states with only one congressional district.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A). The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the voting age population (“VAP”) of the state.
Id.
The VAP figures used to calculate the expenditure limitations were certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of each state is also published annually in the
Federal Register
by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The general election expenditure limitation is the
( printed page 5535)
greater of: The base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in the price index, 6.17976 (which totals $123,600); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 6.17976.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(3), 110.17(c). The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2024 general election expenditure limitations for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2024 House elections in states with only one congressional district [2]
is $123,600.
Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits—2024 Elections 3
State
Voting age
population
(VAP)
VAP × .02 × the
price index
(6.17976)
Senate
expenditure limit
(the greater of
the amount in
column 3 or
$123,600)
Alabama
3,977,628
$491,600
$491,600
Alaska
557,899
69,000
123,600
Arizona
5,848,310
722,800
722,800
Arkansas
2,362,124
291,900
291,900
California
30,519,524
3,772,100
3,772,100
Colorado
4,662,926
576,300
576,300
Connecticut
2,894,190
357,700
357,700
Delaware
819,952
101,300
123,600
Florida
18,229,883
2,253,100
2,253,100
Georgia
8,490,546
1,049,400
1,049,400
Hawaii
1,141,525
141,100
141,100
Idaho
1,497,384
185,100
185,100
Illinois
9,844,167
1,216,700
1,216,700
Indiana
5,274,945
652,000
652,000
Iowa
2,476,882
306,100
306,100
Kansas
2,246,209
277,600
277,600
Kentucky
3,509,259
433,700
433,700
Louisiana
3,506,600
433,400
433,400
Maine
1,146,670
141,700
141,700
Maryland
4,818,337
595,500
595,500
Massachusetts
5,659,598
699,500
699,500
Michigan
7,925,350
979,500
979,500
Minnesota
4,436,981
548,400
548,400
Mississippi
2,259,864
279,300
279,300
Missouri
4,821,686
595,900
595,900
Montana
897,161
110,900
123,600
Nebraska
1,497,381
185,100
185,100
Nevada
2,508,220
310,000
310,000
New Hampshire
1,150,004
142,100
142,100
New Jersey
7,280,551
899,800
899,800
New Mexico
1,663,024
205,500
205,500
New York
15,611,308
1,929,500
1,929,500
North Carolina
8,498,868
1,050,400
1,050,400
North Dakota
599,192
74,100
123,600
Ohio
9,207,681
1,138,000
1,138,000
Oklahoma
3,087,217
381,600
381,600
Oregon
3,401,528
420,400
420,400
Pennsylvania
10,332,678
1,277,100
1,277,100
Rhode Island
892,124
110,300
123,600
South Carolina
4,229,354
522,700
522,700
South Dakota
697,420
86,200
123,600
Tennessee
5,555,761
686,700
686,700
Texas
22,942,176
2,835,500
2,835,500
Utah
2,484,582
307,100
307,100
Vermont
532,828
65,900
123,600
Virginia
6,834,154
844,700
844,700
Washington
6,164,810
761,900
761,900
West Virginia
1,417,859
175,200
175,200
Wisconsin
4,661,826
576,200
576,200
Wyoming
454,508
56,200
123,600
( printed page 5536)
3. Expenditure Limitation for President
The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for their general election nominee for President. 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2). The formula used to calculate the Presidential expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the total VAP of the United States.
Id.
The VAP figure used to calculate the expenditure limitation was certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of the United States is also published annually in the
Federal Register
by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the United States (262,083,034), multiplied by the difference in the price index, 6.17976.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(2); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), 110.17(c). Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2024 Presidential nominees is $32,392,200.
Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2023-2024 Election Cycle
For the convenience of the readers, the Commission is also republishing the contribution limitations for individuals, non-multicandidate committees and for certain political party committees giving to U.S. Senate candidates and national party committees for the 2023-2024 election cycle:
The Act requires certain political committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists/registrants and lobbyist/registrant political action committees once the contributions exceed a specified threshold amount. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(1), (i)(3)(A). The Commission must adjust this threshold amount annually to account for inflation. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B). The disclosure threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.51143, the difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 2006).
See52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 104.22(g)(4). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.51143), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2024 is $22,700.
On behalf of the Commission.
Dated: January 23, 2024.
Sean J. Cooksey,
Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
Footnotes
1.
Currently, these are Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
See http://www.house.gov/representatives.
3.
This expenditure limit does not apply to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands because those jurisdictions do not elect Senators.
See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(2)(i).