Latest Developments:
- Oakland Increases Contribution Limits Through Mid-2029: Oakland has voted to increase limits to candidate committees and officeholder accounts. Candidates who accept voluntary spending limits may now receive up to $900 from individuals and businesses, and $1,800 from broad-based political committees. Lower limits apply to those who do not accept the spending limits. The temporary increase sunsets June 30, 2029, following the 2028 election cycle. An officeholder committee may now receive annual total contributions of $75,000 for Council district elections and $100,000 for those elected citywide.
- Vermont Changes Campaign Finance and Election laws: VT Digger reports that Vermont’s Governor has signed HB 0474. Along with a series of election law changes and a study of ranked choice voting, the legislation lowers the registration threshold for independent expenditure committees from $1,000 to $500.
- S. Supreme Court Will Hear Campaign Finance Case: Reuters reports that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that argues that limits on “coordinated party expenditures” are unconstitutional.
- Oklahoma Moves System Launch Date: The Oklahoma Ethics Commission has postponed the launch date of the state’s new campaign finance and public reporting system to September 2025 to allow for final data conversion and ensure system readiness.
- Department of Justice Nabs Virginia Treasurer for Embezzling:Longtime political finance consultant Katherine Buchanan pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $840,000 from multiple federal campaigns and PACs between 2020 and 2024. The FEC advises PACs to have a number of safeguards in place against misuse of donor funds. Check your bylaws and protocols!
Reminders:
- If you missed the July 1, 2025, Practising Law Institute (PLI) briefing on “Corporate Political Activity and ESG Under the Trump Administration – A Six-Month Review”, don’t worry- the program is available on demand!
- Quarterly reports and semiannual reports are coming due; check with your jurisdiction to see when reports are expected. Don’t forget that some jurisdictions have unique dates. For example, in North Dakota, annual lobbying reports are due by August 1.
In Case You Missed It:
- FEC Has New Chair But Still Lacks Quorum: FEC Commissioner Shana Broussard formally became Chair of the Federal Election Commission this month. Commissioner Allen Dickerson stepped down upon expiration of his term. The Commission had a temporary chair since longtime Commissioner and then-Chair Ellen Weintraub was removed by the administration in February. According to Broussard, there were 161 pending enforcement matters before the FEC as of April – far fewer than the 452 on the docket in 2021.
- House Republicans Subpoena ActBlue staff: From Politico, Congress intensified its investigation of ActBlue’s fraud and foreign contribution prevention protocols.
- Oregon Legislature Abandons Attempt to Delay Campaign Finance Limits: From the Oregon Capital Chronicle, the Oregon Legislature thwarted a last-minute effort to impose a four-year delay on Oregon’s landmark campaign finance limits. The limits, enacted by voters, will cap individual and corporate contributions at $3,300. The caps are still scheduled to take effect in 2027, but the Legislature reportedly needs to make “technical fixes” to the law before it takes effect.
- Gubernatorial Candidate Loans Himself Twice the Legal Limit: The Boston Herald reports that a Republican running for Massachusetts governor loaned his campaign twice the amount allowed under state law because he believes limits on what a candidate can loan his own campaign are unconstitutional.
- Louisiana Ethics Board to Broadcast Public Meetings: From the Louisiana Illuminator, a new Louisiana law requires the Louisiana Board of Ethics to begin live-streaming its monthly public meetings and maintaining recordings in a two-year online archive beginning in January. Critics argue that previous board actions, including high-profile disputes over fines and confidential procedures, prompted the change.