§ 110.14 - Contributions to and expenditures by delegates and delegate committees.

§ 110.14 Contributions to and expenditures by delegates and delegate committees.

(a) Scope. This section sets forth the prohibitions, limitations and reporting requirements under the Act applicable to all levels of a delegate selection process.

(b) Definitions -

(1) Delegate. Delegate means an individual who becomes or seeks to become a delegate, as defined by State law or party rule, to a national nominating convention or to a State, district, or local convention, caucus or primary that is held to select delegates to a national nominating convention.

(2) Delegate committee. A delegate committee is a group of persons that receives contributions or makes expenditures for the sole purpose of influencing the selection of one or more delegates to a national nominating convention. The term delegate committee includes a group of delegates, a group of individuals seeking selection as delegates and a group of individuals supporting delegates. A delegate committee that qualifies as a political committee under 11 CFR 100.5 must register with the Commission pursuant to 11 CFR part 102 and report its receipts and disbursements in accordance with 11 CFR part 104.

(c) Funds received and expended; Prohibited funds.

(1) Funds received or disbursements made for the purpose of furthering the selection of a delegate to a national nominating convention are contributions or expenditures for the purpose of influencing a federal election, see 11 CFR 100.2 (c)(3) and (e), except that -

(i) Payments made by an individual to a State committee or subordinate State committee as a condition for ballot access as a delegate are not contributions or expenditures. Such payments are neither required to be reported under 11 CFR part 104 nor subject to limitation under 11 CFR 110.1; and

(ii) Payments made by a State committee or subordinate State party committee for administrative expenses incurred in connection with sponsoring conventions or caucuses during which delegates to a national nominating convention are selected are not contributions or expenditures. Such payments are neither required to be reported under 11 CFR part 104 nor subject to limitation under 11 CFR 110.1 and 110.2.

(2) All funds received or disbursements made for the purpose of furthering the selection of a delegate to a national nominating convention, including payments made under paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii) of this section, shall be made from funds permissible under the Act. See 11 CFR parts 110, 114 and 115.

(d) Contributions to a delegate.

(1) The limitations on contributions to candidates and political committees under 11 CFR 110.1 and 110.2 do not apply to contributions made to a delegate for the purpose of furthering his or her selection.

(2) Contributions to a delegate made by the authorized committee of a presidential candidate count against the presidential candidate's expenditure limitation under 11 CFR 110.8(a).

(3) A delegate is not required to report contributions received for the purpose of furthering his or her selection.

(e) Expenditures by delegate to advocate only his or her selection.

(1) Expenditures by a delegate that advocate only his or her selection are neither contributions to a candidate, subject to limitation under 11 CFR 110.1, nor chargeable to the expenditure limits of any Presidential candidate under 11 CFR 110.8(a). Such expenditures may include, but are not limited to: Payments for travel and subsistence during the delegate selection process, including the national nominating convention, and payments for any communications advocating only the delegate's selection.

(2) A delegate is not required to report expenditures made to advocate only his or her selection.

(f) Expenditures by a delegate referring to a candidate for public office -

(1) Volunteer activities that do not use public political advertising.

(i) Expenditures by a delegate to defray the costs of certain campaign materials (such as pins, bumper stickers, handbills, brochures, posters and yard signs) that advocate his or her selection and also include information on or reference to a candidate for the office of President or any other public office are neither contributions to the candidate referred to nor subject to limitation under 11 CFR 110.1 provided that:

(A) The materials are used in connection with volunteer activities; and

(B) The expenditures are not for costs incurred in the use of broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, billboards, direct mail or similar types of general public communication or political advertising.

(ii) Such expenditures are not chargeable to the expenditure limitation of a presidential candidate under 11 CFR 110.8(a).

(iii) A delegate is not required to report expenditures made pursuant to this paragraph.

(2) Use of public political advertising. A delegate may make expenditures to defray costs incurred in the use of broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, billboards, direct mail or similar types of general public communication or political advertising to advocate his or her selection and also include information on or reference to a candidate for the office of President or any other public office.

(i) Such expenditures are in-kind contributions to a Federal candidate if they are coordinated communications under 11 CFR 109.21.

(A) The portion of the expenditure allocable to a Federal candidate is subject to the contribution limitations of 11 CFR 110.1.

(B) A Federal candidate's authorized committee must report the portion of the expenditure allocable to the candidate as a contribution pursuant to 11 CFR part 104.

(C) The portion of the expenditure allocable to a presidential candidate is chargeable to the presidential candidate's expenditure limitation under 11 CFR 110.8(a).

(ii) Such expenditures are independent expenditures under 11 CFR 100.16 if they are made for a communication expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified Federal candidate that is not a coordinated communication under 11 CFR 109.21.

(A) Such independent expenditures must be made in accordance with the requirements of 11 CFR part 109.

(B) The delegate shall report the portion of the expenditure allocable to the Federal candidate as an independent expenditure in accordance with 11 CFR 109.10.

(3) Republication of candidate materials. Expenditures made to finance the dissemination, distribution or republication, in whole or in part, of any broadcast or materials prepared by a Federal candidate are in-kind contributions to the candidate.

(i) Such expenditures are subject to the contribution limits of 11 CFR 110.1.

(ii) The Federal candidate must report the expenditure as a contribution pursuant to 11 CFR part 104.

(iii) Such expenditures are not chargeable to the presidential candidate's expenditure limitation under 11 CFR 110.8 unless they were coordinated communications under 11 CFR 109.21.

(4) For purposes of this paragraph, direct mail means any mailing(s) by commercial vendors or any mailing(s) made from lists that were not developed by the delegate.

(g) Contributions made to and by a delegate committee.

(1) The limitations on contributions to political committees under 11 CFR 110.1 and 110.2 apply to contributions made to and by a delegate committee.

(2) A delegate committee shall report contributions it makes and receives pursuant to 11 CFR part 104.

(h) Expenditures by a delegate committee to advocate only the selection of one or more delegates.

(1) Expenditures by a delegate committee that advocate only the selection of one or more delegates are neither contributions to a candidate, subject to limitation under 11 CFR 110.1 nor chargeable to the expenditure limits of any Presidential candidate under 11 CFR 110.8(a). Such expenditures may include but are not limited to: Payments for travel and subsistence during the delegate selection process, including the national nominating convention, and payments for any communications advocating only the selection of one or more delegates.

(2) A delegate committee shall report expenditures made pursuant to this paragraph.

(i) Expenditures by a delegate committee referring to a candidate for public office -

(1) Volunteer activities that do not use public political advertising.

(i) Expenditures by a delegate committee to defray the costs of certain campaign materials (such as pins, bumper stickers, handbills, brochures, posters and yard signs) that advocate the selection of a delegate and also include information on or reference to a candidate for the office of President or any other public office are neither contributions to the candidate referred to, nor subject to limitation under 11 CFR 110.1 provided that:

(A) The materials are used in connection with volunteer activities; and

(B) The expenditures are not for costs incurred in the use of broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, billboards, direct mail or similar types of general public communication or political advertising.

(ii) Such expenditures are not chargeable to the expenditure limitation of a presidential candidate under 11 CFR 110.8(a).

(iii) A delegate committee shall report expenditures made pursuant to this paragraph.

(2) Use of public political advertising. A delegate committee may make expenditures to defray costs incurred in the use of broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, billboards, direct mail or similar types of general public communication or political advertising to advocate the selection of one or more delegates and also include information on or reference to a candidate for the office of President or any other public office. If such expenditures are in-kind contributions or independent expenditures under paragraphs (i) or (ii) below, the delegate committee shall allocate the portion of the expenditures relating to the delegate(s) and candidate(s) referred to in the communications between them and report the portion allocable to each.

(i) Such expenditures are in-kind contributions to a Federal candidate if they are coordinated communications under 11 CFR 109.21.

(A) The portion of the expenditure allocable to a Federal candidate is subject to the contribution limitations of 11 CFR 110.1. The delegate committee shall report the portion allocable to the Federal candidate as a contribution in-kind.

(B) The Federal candidate's authorized committee shall report the portion of the expenditure allocable to the candidate as a contribution pursuant to 11 CFR part 104.

(C) The portion of the expenditure allocable to a presidential candidate is chargeable to the presidential candidate's expenditure limitation under 11 CFR 110.8(a).

(ii) Such expenditures are independent expenditures under 11 CFR 100.16 if they are made for a communication expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified Federal candidate that is not a coordinated communication under 11 CFR 109.21.

(A) Such independent expenditures must be made in accordance with the requirements of 11 CFR part 100.16.

(B) The delegate committee shall report the portion of the expenditure allocable to the Federal candidate as an independent expenditure in accordance with 11 CFR 109.10.

(3) Republication of candidate materials. Expenditures made to finance the dissemination, distribution or republication, in whole or in part, of any broadcast or materials prepared by a Federal candidate are in-kind contributions to the candidate.

(i) Such expenditures are subject to the contribution limitations of 11 CFR 110.1. The delegate committee shall report the expenditure as a contribution in-kind.

(ii) The Federal candidate's authorized committee shall report the expenditure as a contribution pursuant to 11 CFR part 104.

(iii) Such expenditures are not chargeable to the presidential candidate's expenditure limitation under 11 CFR 110.8 unless they were coordinated communications under 11 CFR 109.21.

(4) For purposes of this paragraph, direct mail means any mailing(s) by commercial vendors or any mailing(s) made from lists that were not developed by the delegate committee or any participating delegate.

(j) Affiliation of delegate committees with a Presidential candidate's authorized committee.

(1) For purposes of the contribution limits of 11 CFR 110.1 and 110.2, a delegate committee shall be considered to be affiliated with a Presidential candidate's authorized committee if both such committees are established, financed, maintained or controlled by the same person, such as the Presidential candidate, or the same group of persons.

(2) Factors the Commission may consider in determining whether a delegate committee is affiliated under paragraph (j)(1) of this section with a Presidential candidate's authorized committee may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Whether the Presidential candidate or any other person associated with the Presidential authorized committee played a significant role in the formation of the delegate committee;

(ii) Whether any delegate associated with a delegate committee is or has been a staff member of the Presidential authorized committee;

(iii) Whether the committees have common or overlapping officers or employees;

(iv) Whether the Presidential authorized committee provides funds or goods in a significant amount or on an ongoing basis to the delegate committee, such as through direct or indirect payments for administrative, fundraising, or other costs, but not including the transfer to a committee of its allocated share of proceeds jointly raised pursuant to 11 CFR 102.17 or 9034.8;

(v) Whether the Presidential candidate or any other person associated with the Presidential authorized committee suggested, recommended or arranged for contributions to be made to the delegate committee;

(vi) Similar patterns of contributions received by the committees;

(vii) Whether one committee provides a mailing list to the other committee;

(viii) Whether the Presidential authorized committee or any person associated with that committee provides ongoing administrative support to the other committee;

(ix) Whether the Presidential authorized committee or any person associated with that committee directs or organizes the specific campaign activities of the delegate committee; and

(x) Whether the Presidential authorized committee or any person associated with that committee files statements or reports on behalf of the delegate committee.

(k) Affiliation between delegate committees. Delegate committees will be considered to be affiliated with each other if they meet the criteria for affiliation set forth at 11 CFR 100.5(g).

[52 FR 35534, Sept. 22, 1987, as amended at 65 FR 76146, Dec. 6, 2000; 68 FR 457, Jan. 3, 2003; 68 FR 6346, Feb. 7, 2003; 75 FR 32, Jan. 4, 2010; 79 FR 62336, Oct. 17, 2014]