Campaign finance

Definition

Campaign finance encompasses all funds raised and spent in order to promote candidates, political parties, or policies in elections. It includes donations from individuals and groups, as well as any expenditure made by campaigns or political parties to cover operational costs.

Related terms

Political Action Committee (PAC): A type of organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaign for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.

Super PAC: A type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but cannot coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

Soft Money: Funds donated to political parties in a way that avoids federal regulations designated for campaign contributions, often used for "party-building" activities