Fair Elections Act of 2025

Intended to ensure that the democratic process remains free from the corrupting influence of excessive wealth, this Act establishes reasonable limits on contributions to candidates, parties, and PACs, promotes transparency, and prioritizes the voice of the people in elections.

Purpose: To restore trust in the democratic process by limiting undue influence from corporations, Political Action Committees (PACs), and wealthy individuals on political campaigns and parties.

Key Provisions:

Contribution Limits

1. Individual Contributions:

• Establish a reasonable annual limit for individual contributions to a single candidate's campaign.
  Example: $2,500–$5,000 per election cycle (adjustable for inflation).
  (Note: Current federal limits are $3,300 per election to candidates in 2024, so this range aligns with plausible reform.)

2. Corporate Contributions:

• Ban corporate donations directly to candidates to eliminate conflicts of interest.
  (Corporations currently cannot directly donate to candidates but can fund PACs—this provision would tighten restrictions.)

3. PAC Contributions:

• Limit PAC contributions to campaigns. Example: $10,000 per election cycle.

• Include transparency requirements for PACs, mandating public disclosure of donors over a certain threshold (e.g., $500).

Political Party Contributions

4. Party Committees:

• Cap contributions from individuals and organizations to political party committees. Example: $10,000 annually.

• Ban donations from corporations, unions, and foreign entities to political parties entirely.

Independent Expenditures and Super PACs

5. Restrict Independent Expenditures:

• Impose strict limits on spending by Super PACs, ensuring they cannot accept unlimited funds.

• Example: Limit contributions to Super PACs to $5,000 per individual annually.

Public Financing Option

6. Voluntary Public Financing:

• Introduce a public financing system where candidates receive funds from a government pool if they agree to forego private contributions above set thresholds.

• This could include matching small-dollar donations (e.g., every $1 raised up to $200 is matched by $5 in public funds).

Enforcement and Penalties:

• Enforcement Agency: Empower the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to oversee and enforce these provisions.

• Penalties: Establish severe penalties for violations, including fines and potential disqualification of candidates who knowingly accept illegal contributions.

• Audit Requirements: Require regular, independent audits of campaign finances to ensure compliance.

Justifications for Limits:

1. Reduce Corporate Influence: Corporations and PACs dominate campaign funding, overshadowing individual voices.

2. Promote Fair Elections: Contribution limits ensure that wealth does not determine a candidate’s success.

3. Increase Trust: Transparency and accountability rebuild public trust in the electoral system.

4. Empower Small Donors: Encouraging small-dollar donations ensures more equitable representation.

Implementation Steps:

• Phase-In Period: Gradually implement the new rules over 1-2 election cycles to allow campaigns to adapt.

• Transparency: Develop an online database for real-time tracking of campaign contributions accessible to the public.

We are all aware of the affect of money on our politicians. Let’s create laws that do not allow for our politicians to be bought and paid for.

If you have feedback on the legislation, please send it in the Contact Us section. Together, we can work together to ensure that our collective voices are heard.