[co-author: Zachary Sanfilippo]
Last week, the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) announced updated contribution limits for the 2025–2026 election cycle. The updated “per-election, per-candidate” contribution limits are effective from November 6, 2024 to November 3, 2026 (the date of the last and next general elections). All other contribution limits are in effect beginning on January 1, 2025 and ending on December 31, 2027.
Per the announcement, individuals may now contribute $3,500 per election, per candidate (up from $3,300). Individual contribution limits to candidates apply separately to each federal election in which a candidate participates in an election cycle. General, primary, special, and runoff elections are considered separate elections, each with a separate limit. If a candidate were to participate in both a primary and general election, they could receive up to $7,000 from an individual contributor.
Donors may now contribute $43,300 per year to national party committees (up from $41,300). Further, since 2014, national party committees have been able to establish accounts to defray expenses incurred by certain activities. These activities include presidential nominating conventions, election recounts and other legal proceedings, and headquartering. Donors may contribute to these accounts at three times (3x) the level they may contribute to national party committees, meaning that donors may now contribute up to $132,900 per account per year (up from $123,900).
The FEC announced the new limits in line with Federal Election Campaign Act’s (FECA) required two-year inflation adjustment: Every two years, FECA’s contribution limits are indexed for inflation based on the cost of living changes since 2001. The next FECA adjustment will be announced in early 2027.
The chart below shows additional contribution limits for the 2025–2026 election cycle.
[View source.]
