Last week, the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission announced that donors in Georgia will now be able to give over ten percent more to political candidates and committees during the 2023-24 election cycle. The new state contribution limits – announced during the Commission’s most recent monthly meeting – were increased to keep pace with inflationary pressures, just as they were in 2021. This state contribution limit increase follows in the wake of the FEC’s analogous increase in federal contribution limits for the present two-year election cycle.
Due to the current increase, Georgia’s campaign contribution limits sit 20 percent higher than they did in 2019. Under the new limits, individual donors will now be able to give up to $8,400 per primary or general election to candidates for statewide office, including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. This increase represents an $800 increase from the previous $7,600 per election primary and general election limit. The Commission also increased limits for primary and general runoff elections from $4,500 per election to $4,800 per election. Combined, statewide candidates who participate in all possible elections will now be able to receive up to $26,400 from an individual, business, or political committee, as compared to a maximum of $24,200 during the 2022 election cycle.
As part of its regulatory actions, the Commission made similar contribution limit increases for donations to non-statewide offices, such as candidates for the Georgia General Assembly and county, municipal, and district offices. Candidates for those roles may now accept up to $3,300 per election from a single source during primary and general elections, and up to $1,800 per election for primary runoff and general runoff elections. Previous limits were $3,000 per election and $1,600 per election respectively during the 2022 election cycle.
Notably, the increased contribution limits will not affect donors’ ability to contribute unlimited amounts to state leadership committees. Since they were first approved by the Georgia legislature in 2021, leadership committees have become a major fundraising tool for candidates running for statewide office – raising more than $94.6 million in connection with the 2022 gubernatorial race alone. In contrast to candidate and party committees, which are subject to state contribution limits, leadership committees allow major-party nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and majority and minority legislative caucus leaders to raise unlimited campaign contributions and coordinate activities with a candidate’s campaign. They also allow candidates the ability to continue raising funds during the state legislative session and give campaigns more influence over spending on their behalf without relying on the support of state party committees.
For any questions or advice concerning the application of these new limits to anticipated political giving during the 2024 election cycle or other campaign finance and election law matters, please reach out to the Dentons Political Law team.
