2024-01623. Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold

AGENCY:

Federal Election Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of adjustments to expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.

SUMMARY:

As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act (“the Act”), the Federal Election Commission (“the Commission”) is adjusting certain expenditure limitations and the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information that follows.

DATES:

The new limitations apply beginning on January 1, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

1050 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20463.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, Information Division, (202) 694–1100 or (800) 424–9530, [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, 52 U.S.C. 30101–45, coordinated party expenditure limits (52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2)–(3)) and the disclosure threshold for contributions bundled by lobbyists (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A)) are adjusted periodically to reflect changes in the consumer price index. See52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), (b)(3), 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold for 2024.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2024

Under 52 U.S.C. 30116(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure limitations established by 52 U.S.C. 30116(d) (the limits on expenditures by national party committees, state party committees, or their subordinate committees in connection with the general election campaign of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for inflation. This expenditure limitation is increased by the percent difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 1974). 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(i), (2)(B)(i).

1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States With More Than One Congressional District

Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House of Representatives in states with more than one congressional district. See52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(B). This limitation also applies to the District of Columbia and territories that elect individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.^[1] Id. The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such states and territories multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price index (6.17976), rounding to the nearest $100. See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2024 general elections for House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is $61,800.

2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives in States With Only One Congressional District

Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate or in the House of Representatives in states with only one congressional district. See52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A). The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the voting age population (“VAP”) of the state. Id. The VAP figures used to calculate the expenditure limitations were certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of each state is also published annually in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The general election expenditure limitation is the greater of: The base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in the price index, 6.17976 (which totals $123,600); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 6.17976. See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(3), 110.17(c). The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2024 general election expenditure limitations for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2024 House elections in states with only one congressional district ^[2] is $123,600.

Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits—2024 Elections ³

State	Voting age population (VAP)	VAP × .02 × the price index (6.17976)	Senate expenditure limit (the greater of the amount in column 3 or $123,600)
Alabama	3,977,628	$491,600	$491,600
Alaska	557,899	69,000	123,600
Arizona	5,848,310	722,800	722,800
Arkansas	2,362,124	291,900	291,900
California	30,519,524	3,772,100	3,772,100
Colorado	4,662,926	576,300	576,300
Connecticut	2,894,190	357,700	357,700
Delaware	819,952	101,300	123,600
Florida	18,229,883	2,253,100	2,253,100
Georgia	8,490,546	1,049,400	1,049,400
Hawaii	1,141,525	141,100	141,100
Idaho	1,497,384	185,100	185,100
Illinois	9,844,167	1,216,700	1,216,700
Indiana	5,274,945	652,000	652,000
Iowa	2,476,882	306,100	306,100
Kansas	2,246,209	277,600	277,600
Kentucky	3,509,259	433,700	433,700
Louisiana	3,506,600	433,400	433,400
Maine	1,146,670	141,700	141,700
Maryland	4,818,337	595,500	595,500
Massachusetts	5,659,598	699,500	699,500
Michigan	7,925,350	979,500	979,500
Minnesota	4,436,981	548,400	548,400
Mississippi	2,259,864	279,300	279,300
Missouri	4,821,686	595,900	595,900
Montana	897,161	110,900	123,600
Nebraska	1,497,381	185,100	185,100
Nevada	2,508,220	310,000	310,000
New Hampshire	1,150,004	142,100	142,100
New Jersey	7,280,551	899,800	899,800
New Mexico	1,663,024	205,500	205,500
New York	15,611,308	1,929,500	1,929,500
North Carolina	8,498,868	1,050,400	1,050,400
North Dakota	599,192	74,100	123,600
Ohio	9,207,681	1,138,000	1,138,000
Oklahoma	3,087,217	381,600	381,600
Oregon	3,401,528	420,400	420,400
Pennsylvania	10,332,678	1,277,100	1,277,100
Rhode Island	892,124	110,300	123,600
South Carolina	4,229,354	522,700	522,700
South Dakota	697,420	86,200	123,600
Tennessee	5,555,761	686,700	686,700
Texas	22,942,176	2,835,500	2,835,500
Utah	2,484,582	307,100	307,100
Vermont	532,828	65,900	123,600
Virginia	6,834,154	844,700	844,700
Washington	6,164,810	761,900	761,900
West Virginia	1,417,859	175,200	175,200
Wisconsin	4,661,826	576,200	576,200
Wyoming	454,508	56,200	123,600

3. Expenditure Limitation for President

The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for their general election nominee for President. 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2). The formula used to calculate the Presidential expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the total VAP of the United States. Id. The VAP figure used to calculate the expenditure limitation was certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of the United States is also published annually in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the United States (262,083,034), multiplied by the difference in the price index, 6.17976. See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(2); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), 110.17(c). Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2024 Presidential nominees is $32,392,200.

Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2023–2024 Election Cycle

For the convenience of the readers, the Commission is also republishing the contribution limitations for individuals, non-multicandidate committees and for certain political party committees giving to U.S. Senate candidates and national party committees for the 2023–2024 election cycle:

Statutory provision	Statutory amount	2023–2024 limit
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)	$2,000	$3,300
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)	25,000	41,300
52 U.S.C. 30116(h)	35,000	57,800

Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2024

The Act requires certain political committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists/registrants and lobbyist/registrant political action committees once the contributions exceed a specified threshold amount. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(1), (i)(3)(A). The Commission must adjust this threshold amount annually to account for inflation. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B). The disclosure threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.51143, the difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 2006). See52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 104.22(g)(4). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.51143), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2024 is $22,700.

On behalf of the Commission.

Dated: January 23, 2024.

Sean J. Cooksey,

Chairman, Federal Election Commission.

Footnotes

1.  Currently, these are Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands. See http://www.house.gov/​representatives.

2.  Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/​representatives/​.

3.  This expenditure limit does not apply to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands because those jurisdictions do not elect Senators. See52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(2)(i).