§ 300.32 - Expenditures and disbursements.

§ 300.32 Expenditures and disbursements.

(a) Federal funds.

(1) An association or similar group of candidates for State or local office, or an association or similar group of individuals holding State or local office, must make any expenditures or disbursements for Federal election activity solely with Federal funds.

(2) Except as provided in this part, a State, district, or local committee of a political party that makes expenditures or disbursements for Federal election activity must use Federal funds for that purposes, subject to the provisions of this chapter.

(3) State, district, and local party committees that raise Federal funds through an activity where only Federal funds are raised, must pay the direct costs of such fundraising only with Federal funds. State, district, and local party committees that raise Federal funds and non-Federal funds through a joint fundraising activity under 11 CFR 106.7(d)(4) or a joint fundraiser under 11 CFR 102.17, where the Federal funds are to be used, in whole or in part, for Federal election activities, must either pay the direct costs of such fundraising only with Federal funds or allocate the direct costs in accordance with the funds received method described in 11 CFR 106.7(d)(4). The direct costs of a fundraising program or event include expenses for the solicitation of funds and for the planning and administration of actual fundraising programs and events.

(4) State, district, and local party committees that raise Levin funds to be used, in whole or in part, for Federal election activity must pay the direct costs of such fundraising with either Federal or Levin funds. The direct costs of a fundraising program or event include expenses for the solicitation of funds and for the planning and administration of actual fundraising programs and events.

(b) Levin funds. A State, district, or local committee of a political party may spend Levin funds in accordance with this part on the following types of activity:

(1) Subject to the conditions set out in paragraph (c) of this section, only the following types of Federal election activity:

(i) Voter registration activity during the period that begins on the date that is 120 days before the date a regularly scheduled Federal election is held and ends on the date of the election; and

(ii) Voter identification, get-out-the-vote activity, or generic campaign activity conducted in connection with an election in which a candidate for Federal office appears on the ballot (regardless of whether a candidate for State or local office also appears on the ballot).

(2) Any use that is lawful under the laws of the State in which the committee is organized, other than the Federal election activities defined in 11 CFR 100.24(b)(3) and (4). A disbursement of Levin funds under this paragraph need not comply with paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section, except as required by State law.

(c) Conditions and restrictions on spending Levin funds.

(1) The Federal election activity for which the disbursement is made must not refer to a clearly identified candidate for Federal office.

(2) The disbursement must not pay for any part of the costs of any broadcasting, cable, or satellite communication, other than a communication that refers solely to a clearly identified candidate for State or local office.

(3) The disbursement must be made from funds raised in accordance with 11 CFR 300.31.

(4) The disbursements for allocable Federal election activity must be paid for either entirely with Federal funds or by allocating between Federal funds and Levin funds according to 11 CFR 300.33.

(d) Non-Federal activities. A State, district, or local committee of a political party that makes disbursements for non-Federal activity may make those disbursements from its Federal, Levin, or non-Federal funds, subject to the laws of the State in which it is organized. A State, district, or local party committee that engages in fundraising for solely non-Federal funds may pay the costs related to such fundraising from any account, subject to State law, including a Federal account.

[67 FR 49120, July 29, 2002, as amended at 70 FR 69632, Nov. 17, 2005; 70 FR 75384, Dec. 20, 2005]