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Here is a quick summary of Maryland law regarding political campaign contribution limits. For more detail, please review the Maryland State Board of Elections Summary Guide to Candidacy and Campaign Finance Laws.
A person can contribute no more than $4,000 to one campaign finance entity, and a total of $10,000 to all campaign finance entities, during the four-year cycle.
§ 13-226 of the Election Law Article
Four-Year Cycle
2002 Cycle - 01/01/1999 through 12/31/2002
2006 Cycle - 01/01/2003 through 12/31/2006
2010 Cycle - 01/01/2007 through 12/31/2010
For example, Sidney Giver contributes $4,000 to the Committee to Elect Bob D. Candidate on April 3, 2003. Sidney Giver cannot make any more contributions to the Committee to Election Bob D. Candidate until the next four-year cycle begins (in this case January 1, 2007). Sidney Giver next contributes $3,000 to the ABC PAC and $3,000 to the committee, Friends of Joe Incumbent, on March 3, 2005. Since Sidney has now contributed $10,000, he cannot make any more contributions until the next four-year cycle begins.
Contributions to Candidate
The $4,000 limit on contributions to the campaign finance entity of a candidate applies regardless of the number of offices sought by the candidate or the number of authorized candidate committees formed to support the candidate.
Exceptions
Ballot Issue Committee - There is no limit on how much a contributor may contribute to a ballot issue committee. Contributions to a ballot issue committee do not count towards the contributor's aggregate contribution limit.
Administrative Contribution - An administrative contribution earmarked as such, is not subject to the $4,000 limit and does not count towards the contributor's aggregate contribution limit.
Transfers - General Limitations
Generally, a campaign finance entity may transfer no more than $6,000 to another campaign finance entity during the four year cycle. There is no aggregate limit.
§ 13-227 of the Election Law Article
For example, the ABC PAC transfers $4,000 to the Committee to Elect Bob D. Candidate on February 16, 1999. ABC PAC then transfers another $2,000 to the Committee to Elect Bob D. Candidate on January 31, 2001. The ABC PAC cannot make any more transfers to the Committee to Elect Bob D. Candidate until the next four-year cycle begins (in this case January 1, 2003). However, the ABC PAC can still make transfers to any other campaign finance entity not associated with Bob D. candidate, since there is no aggregate limit on transfers.
An out-of-state political committee may generally transfer up to $6,000 to a Maryland campaign finance entity. (See Section 7.3 of this Summary Guide.) However, if affiliated with a Maryland political committee, the contributions of the out-of-state and in-state political committees are attributed to one another.
Maryland election law does not regulate the conduct of municipal elections (except in Baltimore City). Accordingly, the candidacy and campaign finance provisions described in this Summary Guide do not apply to municipal campaigns or candidates. A campaign finance entity established under Maryland law may not be used to support a municipal candidate. Contact the municipality for applicable reporting and registration requirements.
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