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      Recounts and contested elections

Recounts and contested elections Funds raised and spent by a candidate or a state party committee to pay recount and election contest expenses resulting from the general election are subject to the amount limitations, source prohibitions and reporting requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act, but are not contributions or expenditures. Therefore, donations to a recount fund established by a federal candidate may not exceed $3,300 per person or $5,000 per multicandidate political committee. Donations to a federal candidate’s recount fund are not “contributions” and therefore are not aggregated with contributions to the candidate for the general election. A federal candidate may establish a recount fund either as a separate bank account of the candidate’s authorized committee, or as a separate entity. If the recount fund is a separate account of the federal candidate’s authorized committee, then its receipts and disbursements must be reported on the authorized committee’s report as “other receipts” and “other disbursements.” If the recount fund is a separate entity established by the federal candidate, then the separate entity must report as an authorized committee.
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          Who can and can't contribute to a candidateContribution limitsNational party accounts for certain expenses Need help? Get help from the FEC by phone or email
 Legal citations Regulations 11 CFR 100.91 and 100.151Recounts 11 CFR 104.3(a)(3)(x)(A)Reporting "other receipts" 11 CFR 104.3(b)(2)(vi)(A)Reporting "other disbursements" 11 CFR 300.61Fundraising by federal officeholders for federal elections
 Advisory opinions AO 2019-02Use of excess recount funds AO 2010-18Transfer or redesignation of excess recount funds to State party committee's general federal account AO 2010-14Disbursements from national party committee's recount fund before general election for recount-related expenses AO 2006-24Limits, prohibitions and reporting requirements apply to recount activities


This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public. The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.


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