Contribution Limits

Printer Friendly Version - PDF

Effective January 2012

RECIPIENTS

 CONTRIBUTORS
State Party County Or LD Party Committee Caucus Political Committee (House or Senate) Candidate Committees Pacs, Unions, Corps and other entities Individuals

State Party

 Not Applicable No Limit No Limit Only from Surplus Funds No Limit $4,500 per calendar year (non-exempt) No Limit (exempt) No Limit
County or LD Committees No Limit No Limit No Limit Only from Surplus Funds No Limit $4,500 per calendar year (non-exempt) No Limit (exempt) No Limit
Caucus Political Committee No Limit No Limit No Limit Only from Surplus Funds No Limit $900 per calendar year No Limit
Statewide Executive Candidate Committee $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle $0.45 per Reg. Voter per cycle (Joint Limit) $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle Prohibited $1,800 per election $1,800 per election
Legislative Candidate Committee $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle $0.45 per Reg. Voter per cycle (Joint Limit) $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle Prohibited $900 per election $900 per election
Judicial  Candidate
 $1,800 per election $1,800 per election $1,800 per election Prohibited $1,800 per election $1,800 per election
County Office Candidate Committee $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle $0.45 per Reg. Voter per cycle (Joint Limit) $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle Prohibited $900 per election $900 per election
City Council or Mayor Candidate Committee $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle $0.45 per Reg. Voter per cycle (Joint Limit) $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle Prohibited $900 per election $900 per election

School Board Candidate Committee (eff 6/30/2012)

 $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle $0.45 per Reg. Voter per cycle (Joint Limit) $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle Prohibited $900 per election $900 per election
Port of Seattle or Tacoma Commissioner Candidate Committee $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle $0.45 per Reg. Voter per cycle (Joint Limit) $0.90 per Reg. Voter per cycle Prohibited $1,800 per election $1,800 per election
PACS No Limit No Limit No Limit Prohibited No Limit No Limit

  • Per cycle means aggregate during the period from January 1 after the date of the previous general election for the office through December 31 after the upcoming general election for the office.

  • Per election means per each primary, general, or special election for that office.

  • Per calendar year means aggregate during the period from January 1 through December 31 each year.

  • Contributions designated for the exempt account of a bona fide political party are NOT subject to limit, except during the 21 days before the general election when the $5,000 maximum applies. See next.

  • During the 21 days before the general election, no contributor may donate over $50,000 in the aggregate to a candidate for statewide office, or over $5,000 in the aggregate to a candidate for any other office or to a political committee. This includes contributions to a party committee, as well as a candidate's personal contributions to his/her own campaign. It does not apply to contributions from the state committee of the WA State Democratic or Republican Party or from the state committee of a minor party.
The state law prohibiting campaigns from receiving contributions of more than $5,000 within 21 days of a general election no longer applies to ballot measure committees, pursuant to the federal court ruling in Family PAC v. McKenna et al., 9th Circuit Court of Appeals No. 10-35832 (Dec. 29, 2011). The statute is RCW 42.17A.420 (former RCW 42.17.105(8)).