ELEC proposes higher campaign contribution limits for 2027
New Jersey’s individual campaign contribution limit would increase to $5,800 per election in 2027 under a proposal released Tuesday by the Election Law Enforcement Commission that would allow larger donations to candidates, political parties and PACs while also raising disclosure thresholds and civil penalties to account for inflation.
The commission’s 2027 Cost Index Report calculates a 5.35% increase in the state’s campaign cost index for the 2025-2026 period, triggering automatic inflation adjustments established under the Elections Transparency Act of 2023. If adopted following the regulatory process, the new contribution limits, reporting thresholds and civil penalties would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, and apply through the 2028 election cycle.
Under the proposal, the maximum contribution from an individual, corporation, union, or association to a candidate committee would increase from $5,500 to $5,800 per election. Contribution limits for political committees and continuing political committees would rise from $15,200 to $16,100, while the limit on contributions from one candidate committee to another would increase from $17,300 to $18,300. The annual contribution limit to legislative leadership committees and state and county political party committees would rise from $79,000 to $84,000. The maximum annual contribution from a national political party to a state political party committee would increase from $152,000 to $161,000.
The report also recommends raising several disclosure thresholds. The amount that triggers registration as a political committee would increase from $3,800 to $4,100, while the threshold for continuing political committees would rise from $8,600 to $9,100. The threshold for 24- and 72-hour reporting of contributions and independent expenditures would increase from $300 to $400.
https://newjerseyglobe.com/campaigns/elec-proposes-higher-campaign-contribution-limits-for-2027/