Campaign Contribution Limits

Illinois is awash in political campaign money, threatening to capsize our democratic government. While most Illinoisans can afford only small contributions, if they contribute at all, the number and size of large contributions, and the number of large individual donors, have exploded in recent years, as special interests have sought to exploit Illinois unregulated campaign finance system.

Big contributions, which previously in 2002 amounted to more than a third of statewide candidates’ budgets, now added more than half of the funds reported by all four major party candidates for governor and attorney general. Indeed, statewide candidates now get most of their funds from fewer than 5% of their contributors.

Nearly all states and the District of Columbia have at least some restrictions on the size of campaign contributions, and most ban direct giving by corporations, unions, and associations. Too, there are limits on giving to all federal candidates, including those from Illinois. But candidates for state and local office in Illinois are free to take as much as they can get from whomever will give it to them.

Big checks are controlled in a very few hands, especially statewide candidates and legislative leaders, concentrating political power and forcing rank and file legislators in tight races to chose between their duty to represent their constituents and their financial dependency on party leadership. Indeed, most of the money in the biggest, most expensive legislative races comes from PACs controlled by legislative leaders, not constituents or even special interests.

ICPR supports reasonable limits on giving to candidates, a complete ban on direct giving by corporations, unions, and associations; and restrictions on transfers between political committees.

Limiting contributions would have several effects:

• It would help candidates to broaden their financial bases, encouraging them to reach out to groups they’ve previously neglected.
• It would encourage ordinary citizens to give, assuring them that their small contributions are able to match what the special interests send in.
• It would help break down the power of entrenched political interests, forcing them to share power and expanding the number of legislators with real influence.
• It would check the influence of wealthy individuals, corporations and unions.

For more, please see: U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Key Provisions of McCain-Feingold.