§ 2805 - Limitations of contributions - Vermont Statutes

§ 2805. Limitations of contributions

(a) A candidate for state representative or local office shall not accept contributions totaling more than $200.00 from a single source, political committee or political party in any two-year general election cycle. A candidate for state senator or county office shall not accept contributions totaling more than $300.00 from a single source, political committee or political party in any two-year general election cycle. A candidate for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, auditor of accounts, or attorney general shall not accept contributions totaling more than $400.00 from a single source, political committee or political party in any two-year general election cycle. A political committee, other than a political committee of a candidate, or a political party shall not accept contributions totaling more than $2,000.00 from a single source, political committee or political party in any two-year general election cycle.

(b) A single source, political committee or political party shall not contribute more to a candidate, political committee or political party than the candidate, political committee or political party is permitted to accept under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) A candidate, political party or political committee shall not accept, in any two-year general election cycle, more than 25 percent of total contributions from contributors who are not residents of the state of Vermont or from political committees or parties not organized in the state of Vermont.

(d) A candidate shall not accept a monetary contribution in excess of $50.00 unless made by check, credit or debit card, or other electronic transfer.

(e) A candidate, political party, or political committee shall not knowingly accept a contribution which is not directly from the contributor, but was transferred to the contributor by another person for the purpose of transferring the same to the candidate, or otherwise circumventing the provisions of this chapter. It shall be a violation of this chapter for a person to make a contribution with the explicit or implicit understanding that the contribution will be transferred in violation of this subsection.

(f) This section shall not be interpreted to limit the amount a candidate or his or her immediate family may contribute to his or her own campaign. For purposes of this subsection, "immediate family" means individuals related to the candidate in the first, second, or third degree of consanguinity.

(g) The limitations on contributions established by this section shall not apply to contributions made for the purpose of advocating a position on a public question, including a constitutional amendment.

(h) For purposes of this section, the term "candidate" includes the candidate's political committee. (Added 1981, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. date, see note set out below; amended 1987, No. 263 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; 1997, No. 64, § 6, eff. Nov. 4, 1998; 2005, No. 62, § 6.)