Money and the Election Process

Money can make the political process less honest. Yet money allows candidates to get their messages to the voters. Campaign money buys everything from television time to pamphlets, buttons, and posters. How much is spent on a campaign and depends on the office, the candidate,, and the opposing candidate(s). It also depends on how much money is available.

Source of Campaign Funding

Some of the money that pays for political campaigns comes from individuals. Candidates also may spend their own money on their campaigns. The total amount spent on campaigns from 195 to 1988.

People give money to candidates for many reasons. Some give to show they believe in a party or a candidate. Others want to influence what decisions the country's leaders make. Some even give to both sides so they will have some influence no matter who wins.

Different groups contribute money to political campaigns. One kind of group is called a political action committee (PAC). Members of a political action committee have the same beliefs about certain public policy. PACs also work between elections. Other temporary groups form just to raise money for campaigns.

Regulating Campaign Finance

Congress passed laws about giving money to political campaigns. Congress also created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to enforce these laws.

Today, candidates must disclose, or tell about, certain donations. In addition, there are limits on how much money any one person or group can give. No one can give more than $100 in cash. People from other countries cannot contribute at all.

Neither corporations nor labor union can directly give money to federal candidates. But the PACs representing these groups can make contributions.

Congress also passed laws to limit how much a candidate a spends in a presidential campaign. These limits, however, only apply to people who accept federal campaign money. The money is available to anyone who can raise $100,000 from individuals n 20 different States. In addition, major political parties can qualify for money to pay for their national conventions.