Idaho § 67-6610A - Limitations on contributions

§ 67-6610A. Limitations on contributions

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, aggregate contributions for a primary election or a general election made by a corporation, political committee, other recognized legal entity or an individual shall be subject to the limitations of this subsection. This subsection shall not apply to a candidate contributing or loaning money to his own campaign account or to a candidate for a state legislative office who, in terminating his campaign account, transfers the balance of funds to that candidate’s new campaign account for a different state legislative office. In such case, any contributions received in the closed account, combined with any contributions received in the new account, shall count against the contribution limits provided in this subsection when received from the same contributor for the same election date.

(a) Aggregate contributions by a corporation, political committee, other recognized legal entity, or an individual to a candidate for the state legislature, judicial office, or local government office, and political committees organized on the candidate’s behalf, shall be limited to an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the primary election and an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the general election.

(b) Aggregate contributions for a primary election or a general election by a corporation, political committee, other recognized legal entity or an individual to a candidate for statewide office and political committees organized on the candidate’s behalf shall be limited to an amount not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the primary election and an amount not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the general election.

(2) Aggregate contributions for a primary election or for a general election made by a county central committee or by the state central committee of the political parties qualified under section 34-501 , Idaho Code, to a candidate for the state legislature and political committees organized on the candidate’s behalf shall be limited to an amount not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the primary election and an amount not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the general election. Aggregate contributions for the primary election or the general election by the state central committee of the political parties qualified under section 34-501 , Idaho Code, to a candidate for statewide office and political committees organized on the candidate’s behalf shall be limited to an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the primary election and an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the general election.

(3) For purposes of this section, "statewide office" shall mean an office in state government that shall appear on the primary or general election ballot throughout the state.

(4) Recall and special elections, for purposes of this section, shall be treated the same as general elections for contribution limits.

(5) Contributions other than money or its equivalent are deemed to have a monetary value equivalent to the fair market value of the contribution. Services or property or rights furnished at less than their fair market value for the purpose of assisting any candidate or political committee are deemed a contribution. A contribution of this kind shall be reported as an in-kind contribution at its fair market value and counts toward any applicable contribution limit of the contributor. Contributions shall not include the personal services of volunteers.

(6) For the purposes of contribution limits, the following apply:

(a) A contribution by a political committee with funds that have all been contributed by one (1) person who exercises exclusive control over the distribution of the funds of the political committee is a contribution by the controlling person.

(b) All contributions made by a person or political committee whose contribution or expenditure activity is financed, maintained or controlled by a trade association, labor union or collective bargaining organization shall be considered a contribution from such trade association, labor union or collective bargaining organization.

(c) Two (2) or more entities are treated as a single entity if the entities:

(i) Share the majority of members on their board of directors;

(ii) Share two (2) or more officers;

(iii) Are owned or controlled by the same majority shareholder or shareholders or persons;

(iv) Are in a parent-subsidiary relationship; or

(v) Have bylaws so stating.

(7) The provisions of this section are hereby declared to be severable and if any provision of this section or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance is declared invalid for any reason, such declaration shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this section.

[67-6610A, added 1997, ch. 393, sec. 3, p. 1252; am. 2004, ch. 19, sec. 1, p. 21; am. 2006, ch. 23, sec. 1, p. 80; am. 2012, ch. 162, sec. 4, p. 441; am. 2019, ch. 288, sec. 9, p. 838; am. 2021, ch. 209, sec. 1, p. 575.]