Contribution and spending limits
Rules applicable to party units
These rules apply to all party units from the state party committee down to the smallest local party unit
Prohibited sources of contributions
Party units may not accept money from the following:
- Corporations, including most non-profit corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs)
- Foreign governments
- Foreign nationals (people who are not U.S. citizens and do not have a green card)
- Independent expenditure committees and funds, even if registered with the Board
- Ballot question committees and funds, even if registered with the Board
- Non-corporate associations that are not registered with the Board if the amount given by the donor is more than $200 in aggregate for the year.
- This prohibition does not apply if the donor provides specified financial disclosure to the recipient along with the contribution. Contact Board staff for assistance on this issue.
- Committees of local or federal office candidates are associations not registered with the Board and are subject to this same restriction.
Permissible sources of contributions
Party units may accept unlimited contributions from the following:
- Individuals who are not foreign nationals
- Other party units registered with the Board
- General purpose committees and funds registered with the Board (does not include independent expenditure or ballot question committees and funds)
- Candidates' committees registered with the Board
The state unit of a political party may accept unlimited contributions from its affiliated national party committee
There is only one national party committee for each state party. Subsidiary or corollary national committees such as congressional committees, senatorial committees, governors' associations and the like are not the national party committee for purposes of unlimited transfers to state parties.
There is no spending limit for party units
Party units may make unlimited contributions to the following:
- Other party units registered with the Board
- Political committees and funds registered with the Board, including independent expenditure and ballot question expenditure committees and funds
Party units may make the following contributions subject to additional restrictions:
- To candidates for state office, subject to the limit imposed on the recipient. Because the donor party unit will not know if the recipient has received contributions from other donors included in the party unit aggregate limit, the donor should contact the intended recipient to determine whether the proposed contribution may be made without causing a violation for the recipient.
- To local or federal candidates or their committees, subject to applicable local and federal laws and rules. Any such laws and rules are outside the Board's jurisdiction and the Board cannot advise on them.
- Other associations not registered with the Board subject to the condition that the contribution must be for the purpose of influencing the vote in a Minnesota election. Contributions to associations not registered with the Board may be subject to laws or rules that are not under the Board's jurisdiction.