Author
Media Outlet
super:Link
Pages
People
Topics
Organization
Program
State
Quick Read
Illinois voters are often in the dark about how unused campaign funds are spent, but should know that these funds can be utilized long after a candidate has left public office.
- There is at least $2.4 million in leftover campaign funds sitting in the accounts of legislators leaving the General Assembly this session
- Illinois politicians can leave their campaign accounts open indefinitely, which allows them to continue using these funds even without seeking a specific office
- Other states, such as California, require candidates to close their political committees 60 days after leaving office of losing an election
Shining a light on this often overlooked issue can help voters understand where their money goes, and how politicians can continue to use that money even after leaving the public eye.
Since early summer, the Illinois General Assembly has been experiencing what some news outlets have called “.” As of October 11, 31 legislators will not be returning to the seats they held at the beginning of the year. While six of those legislators are running for another office, 25 of them have either resigned mid-term or are not running in 2018. As these officials leave public office, many of them do so with significant campaign money left sitting in the bank. |
Where Do Campaign Contributions Go? Donating to a candidate’s campaign is a common way to get more involved in local politics. However, voters may be surprised to realize their money is not always used to help elect the candidate they originally contributed to.Under current Illinois campaign finance regulations, a political candidate’s campaign can donate, or “transfer out,” money to a different political candidate’s committee. However, candidates are limited to an amount of $55,400 in transfers to another individual candidate per election cycle.
When an elected official chooses to close his or her campaign committee, candidates may have leftover contributions in their campaign account. In Illinois, while a candidate can return remaining funds to their original contributors, they can also donate the funds to a charitable organization or another political organization. There is statutory language that states the charitable organization or political organization the candidate donates to must be consistent with the positions of the candidate, but this rule is not actively enforced. |
Rep. Elaine Nekritz (left) and Leader Christine Radogno (right) are two high-profile legislators leaving the General Assembly
Transfer Trends for Retiring Legislators Of those 25, committees for the five legislators with the most remaining money make up half that number, with approximately $1.3 million.
When spending down their accounts, former politicians and elected officials often transfer money to candidates who share their vision, supporting party organizations, or other political groups. While some people choose to keep their accounts open indefinitely, others transfer money out of their account in preparation of closing it down.
Other large transfers were made by former Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, who resigned in July, and State Rep. Emily McAsey, who resigned in June. McAsey made contributions totaling $55,000 to several General Assembly members running in 2018. Radogno transferred $37,000 to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee shortly after leaving the General Assembly. |
How Other States Handle Transfers and Retirements Illinois and most other states do not allow campaign contributions to be used for personal expenses, meaning donations cannot be spent on club memberships, college tuition, personal vehicles, or personal health care. However, restrictions specifically involving transfers are not as uniform.
For example, in Colorado, candidate committees are prohibited from transferring campaign funds to other candidate committees. In Arizona, laws are slightly less restrictive, generally allowing elected officials to transfer funds to other candidate committees if they are closing their committee and not running for re-election. However, Arizona politicians can only transfer within the personal contribution limit of $5,100.
Between these extremes, many states allow some transfers of campaign funds while a candidate is still running or in office, but with limits. California, New York, and Illinois are all in this category. While Illinois law allows larger transfers, California and New York both restrict political candidates to contribution limits for individuals when making transfers. These limits range from $4,400 to $44,000 depending on the office and type of election.
California’s requirement to close old campaign committees ensures political contributions are always attributable to a specific race. Furthermore, when candidates form a new committee, this notifies the public of the funds they have remaining and where those funds could be going. Making these disclosures is essential for maintaining transparency and accountability in the campaign finance process, which provides important information for voters, journalists, and the general public. |
Issues like these lead us to explore new policy changes to improve transparency and accountability in Illinois. Please email us at outreach@ilcampaign.org with your comments and questions on this issue. |