Campaign finance in the United States

Campaign finance in the United States comprises the laws and practices governing money raised and spent to influence federal, state, and local elections.

Federal Election Commission: The independent federal agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance law. It oversees federal disclosures, contribution limits, and enforcement.
Citizens United v. FEC: A 2010 Supreme Court decision holding that the government may not bar corporations and unions from independent political expenditures. The ruling reshaped the legal boundary between independent spending and direct contributions.
Tillman Act of 1907: A federal law prohibiting corporations from making contributions to federal candidates. It marked an early federal attempt to restrict corporate election contributions.
Public campaign financing in the United States: Government programs that provide funds or matching funds to candidates and campaigns in American elections. These programs seek to reduce candidates' dependence on private fundraising.
Political action committee: An organization that raises and spends money to influence elections, subject to rules determined by its structure. PACs pool contributions and channel them into federally regulated campaign activity.
Buckley v. Valeo: A 1976 Supreme Court decision that distinguished contribution limits from limits on independent campaign spending. Its framework remains central to constitutional challenges over campaign finance.
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971: A federal law that established disclosure requirements and other rules for federal campaign finance. Its reforms preceded the post-Watergate system of contribution limits and enforcement.
Dark money: Political spending whose original funding sources are not disclosed to the public. Disclosure gaps make some election spending difficult to trace to its source.
Independent expenditure: Political spending that expressly advocates a candidate's election or defeat without coordination with that candidate. Its separation from campaigns determines whether spending limits apply.
Super PAC: A political committee that may raise unlimited funds for independent expenditures but cannot contribute to or coordinate with candidates. Super PACs illustrate how independent spending differs from campaign contributions.

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