Political party committee
Encyclopedia
In the United States
, a political party committee is an organization, officially affiliated with a political party
and registered with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), which raises and spends money for political campaign
ing. Political party committees are distinct from political action committee
s, which are formally independent of political parties and subject to different rules.
Though their own internal rules differ, the two major political parties (Democrats and Republicans) have essentially parallel sets of committees. (Third parties have varied organizational structures, although several do have national committees officially recognized by the FEC.)
, Green National Committee, Libertarian National Committee
, and Republican National Committee
are the official central organizations for their respective parties. They have the greatest role in presidential election
years when they are responsible for planning the nominating convention and also spend heavily in support of their party's nominee (some of this spending is directly coordinated with the nominee's campaign; the rest is in independent expenditure
s).
The two major parties also have two national Hill committee
s, controlled by their caucus leadership in each house of Congress, which work specifically to elect members of their own party to Congress.
The individual contribution limit to a single national party committee is currently $30,800 per calendar year, but is indexed to inflation.
.) The federal limit for individual contributions to state and local party committees is a combined total of $10,000 per year.
In most states, legislative campaign committees or assembly campaign committees are operated by political parties in order to raise funds and campaign for the election of party members to the state legislatures. These are federated under such national organizations as the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
(formed in 1994) and Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (formed in 2002).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a political party committee is an organization, officially affiliated with a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
and registered with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), which raises and spends money for political campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
ing. Political party committees are distinct from political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
s, which are formally independent of political parties and subject to different rules.
Though their own internal rules differ, the two major political parties (Democrats and Republicans) have essentially parallel sets of committees. (Third parties have varied organizational structures, although several do have national committees officially recognized by the FEC.)
National committees
The Democratic National CommitteeDemocratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, Green National Committee, Libertarian National Committee
Libertarian National Committee
The Libertarian National Committee controls and manages the affairs, properties, and funds of the United States Libertarian Party. It is composed of the party officers, five at-large representatives elected every two years at the national convention, and a theoretical maximum of ten regional...
, and Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
are the official central organizations for their respective parties. They have the greatest role in presidential election
United States presidential election
Elections for President and Vice President of the United States are indirect elections in which voters cast ballots for a slate of electors of the U.S. Electoral College, who in turn directly elect the President and Vice President...
years when they are responsible for planning the nominating convention and also spend heavily in support of their party's nominee (some of this spending is directly coordinated with the nominee's campaign; the rest is in independent expenditure
Independent expenditure
-Definition:In elections in the United States, an independent expenditure is a political campaign communication which expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate that is not made in cooperation, consultation or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a...
s).
The two major parties also have two national Hill committee
Hill committee
The Hill committees are the common name for the political party committees that work to elect members of their own party to United States Congress...
s, controlled by their caucus leadership in each house of Congress, which work specifically to elect members of their own party to Congress.
The individual contribution limit to a single national party committee is currently $30,800 per calendar year, but is indexed to inflation.
State and local committees
State party organizations typically have both federal and non-federal accounts, and money can be transferred between the two under certain circumstances. (A third and more complicated category of money, Levin funds, has been created by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform ActBipartisan Campaign Reform Act
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 is a United States federal law that amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which regulates the financing of political campaigns. Its chief sponsors were Senators Russell Feingold and John McCain...
.) The federal limit for individual contributions to state and local party committees is a combined total of $10,000 per year.
In most states, legislative campaign committees or assembly campaign committees are operated by political parties in order to raise funds and campaign for the election of party members to the state legislatures. These are federated under such national organizations as the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is a counterpart to a Hill committee works to elect members of the Democratic party to U.S. state legislatures...
(formed in 1994) and Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (formed in 2002).