Your web browser is not supported You're using Internet Explorer, some features might not work. Please switch to another browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for a better experience.


An official website of the United States government Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Federal Election Commission | United States of America Calendar
           Glossary
          Search
              Search


Menu
      Home
      Campaign finance data
        All data
            Raising
            Spending
            Loans and debts
            Filings and reports
            Candidates
            Committees
            Bulk data
            Campaign finance statistics
        Find elections. Search by state or ZIP code
          Look up contributions from specific individuals
      Help for candidates and committees
        All compliance resources
            Guides
            Forms
            Dates and deadlines
            Trainings
        Learn about electronic filing
          Find and contact your committee's analyst
      Legal resources
        All legal resources
            Advisory opinions
            Enforcement
            Statutes
            Legislation
            Regulations
            Court cases
            Policy and other guidance
        Search across all legal resources
          Search guidance documents
      About
        All about the FEC
            News and announcements
            Commission meetings
            Mission and history
            Leadership and structure
            Reports about the FEC
            Careers
            Working with the FEC
            Contact
        Introduction to campaign finance and elections


- Home
- ›
      FEC Record: Outreach
- ›
      800 Line: Disclosing multicandidate status

FEC Record: Outreach800 Line: Disclosing multicandidate statusSeptember 1, 2007 As defined by the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) and Commission regulations, a “multicandidate committee,” is a political committee that has: Been registered with the Commission or the Secretary of the Senate for at least six months;Received contributions from more than 50 persons; andMade contributions to five or more federal candidates (a state party committee does not need to meet this third criteria). 2 U.S.C. §441a(a)(4) and 11 CFR 100.5(e)(3). Knowing whether a political committee is a multicandidate committee is important because multicandidate committees have different contribution limits than non-multicandidate committees. A committee that does not have multicandidate status may give up to $2,300 per election to a candidate committee, $28,500 per year to a national party committee, $10,000 per year to state, district and local party committees (a single $10,000 limit is shared by all of a party’s affiliated committees within a given state) and $5,000 per year to any other political committee. For non-multicandidate committees, the contribution limits for candidates and national party committees are indexed for inflation each election cycle. 11 CFR 110.1. Multicandidate committees, on the other hand, may give up to $5,000 per election to a candidate committee, but may give only $15,000 per year to national party committees and $5,000 per year to other political committees, including state, district and local party committees (again, a single limit is shared by all of a party’s committees within a given state). 11 CFR 110.2. Unlike contribution limits for nonmulticandidate committees, these limits are not indexed for inflation. Under FEC regulations, a political committee automatically becomes a multicandidate committee when it meets the three criteria described above, and must certify its status within 10 calendar days of having met the criteria by filing FEC Form 1M. 11 CFR 102.2(a)(3).1 In addition, a political committee that becomes affiliated with a committee that already has multicandidate status automatically becomes a multicandidate committee itself, and must file FEC Form 1M and follow the contribution limits for a multicandidate committee. 11 CFR 110.2(a)(1). A political committee’s failure to certify its multicandidate status by filing FEC Form 1M will result in a violation of the registration requirements at 2 U.S.C. §433(c). Failing to certify multicandidate status will not result in an excessive contribution so long as the amount is within the contribution limits for multicandidate committees. When making contributions to candidates, a multicandidate committee must give the recipient candidate or campaign committee a written notification that it has qualified as a multicandidate committee. 11 CFR 110.2(a)(2). For convenience, the statement may be pre-printed on the committee’s checks, letterhead or other appropriate materials. 1 Committees that notified the Commission of their multicandidate status on Form 3X prior to January 1, 1994, do not have to file Form 1M.
 Author
          Amy Kort


Read next: Number of PACs declines slightly in 2007
 Related: Explore campaign finance data »


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.


About
          Careers
          Press
          Contact
   Privacy and security policy
          Plain language
          No FEAR Act
          Strategy, budget and performance
 Open government
          Protected Voices
          USA.gov
          Inspector General
          FOIA
 OpenFEC API
          GitHub repository
          Release notes
          FEC.gov status


Federal Election Commission
 The FEC's Twitter page
            The FEC's YouTube page Sign up for FECMail


Hide glossary Glossary Search terms