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Campaign finance requirements in North Carolina
 in North Carolina |
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Federal campaign finance laws and regulations |
|---|
| Campaign finance reform |
| History of campaign finance reform |
| State by state comparison of campaign finance reporting requirements |
| Election policy |
| State information |
Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates and campaigns may receive from individuals and organizations, how they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political parties may contribute to campaigns. In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy.
This page provides background on campaign finance regulation, lists contribution limits to state candidates and ballot measures in North Carolina, compares contribution limits to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates in North Carolina with those from other states, and details the candidate reporting requirements in North Carolina.
The information on this page pertains to candidates for state office and state ballot measures. Candidates for federal office are subject to federal campaign finance law. Candidates for local office are subject to all applicable state laws as well as any separate local campaign finance regulations.[1]
Background
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions, and overseeing public funding of presidential elections.[2] According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate and must begin reporting campaign finances once he or she has either raised or spent $5,000 in his or her campaign. Within 15 days of this benchmark, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee, which is responsible for the funds and expenditures of the campaign. This committee must have an official treasurer and cannot support any candidate but the one who registered it. Detailed financial reports are then made to the FEC every financial quarter after the individual is registered. Reports are also made before primaries and before the general election.[3]
The rules governing federal election campaigns and contributions have evolved over the past generation as result of a number of Supreme Court decisions. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. The court's decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.[4] In the SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United decision, the court held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates, however, remained unchanged.[5][6] In 2014's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court overturned biennial aggregate campaign contribution limits, and held that individuals may contribute to as many federal candidates as they want, but may only contribute up to the federal limit in each case.[7]
While the FEC governs federal election campaigns and contribution limits, individual states enforce their own regulation and reporting requirements. Regulations vary by state, as do limits on campaign contributions and third-party activities to influence elections. Candidates for local office must follow any applicable state and local campaign finance regulations.
Contribution limits
The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in North Carolina as of August 2025. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient.
| Individuals | Single candidates committees | PACs | Political party | Super PACs | Corporations | Unions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide candidate (e.g., governor) | $6,800 | $6,800 | $6,800 | unlimited | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Senate candidate | $6,800 | $6,800 | $6,800 | unlimited | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
| House candidate | $6,800 | $6,800 | $6,800 | unlimited | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
| PAC | $6,800 | $6,800 | $6,800 | unlimited | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Party committees | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Ballot measures | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | $0 | unlimited | unlimited | ||
| Limits apply per year. | |||||||||
| Sources: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Campaign Contribution Limit Increases to $6,800 Per Election," accessed August 20, 2025 | |||||||||
State comparisons in the 2024 elections
Candidate reporting requirements
See statutes: Chapter 163, Article 22A of the North Carolina General Statutes
Each candidate for state and local office is required to appoint a treasurer (a candidate may serve as his or her own treasurer). The treasurer is responsible for submitting to the State Board of Elections a Statement of Organization, which must include the following:[9]
- the name, address and purpose of the candidate or political committee
- the names, addresses and relationships of affiliated or connected candidates, committees, parties, etc.
- the name, address and position with the candidate or political committee of the custodian of books and accounts
- a listing of all banks, safety deposit boxes or other depositories used, including the names and numbers of all such accounts and safety deposit boxes
- the name(s) and address(es) of any assistant treasurers
A candidate must submit a Statement of Organization within 10 days of filing his or her Notice of Candidacy.[10]
The treasurer is also responsible for submitting regular campaign finance reports to the State Board of Elections. These reports must set forth the following (forms for all required reports are prescribed by the State Board of Elections):[11]
- Contributions: This is a list of all contributions received by or on behalf of the candidate or political committee, including the name and mailing address of each contributor, the amount contributed, the principal occupation of the contributor and the date the contribution was received. The sum total of all contributions to date must be "plainly exhibited."[12]
- Expenditures: This is a list of all expenditures made by or on behalf of the candidate of political committee, including the name and mailing address of each payee, the amount paid, the purpose of the expenditure and the date the payment was made. The sum total of all expenditures must be stated.[12]
- Loans: Each report must include an addendum listing all proceeds derived from loans for funds used or to be used in the campaign. The amount of the loan, its source, period, interest rate, security pledged (if any) and all makers and endorsers must be noted.[12]
During years in which there is an election for which the candidate is campaigning or in which the campaign committee is supporting or opposing a candidate, quarterly statements must be filed within seven working days after the close of each calendar quarter. Semiannual reports are required if contributions are received or expenditures are made for which no other reports are required.[11]
Any committee (with the exception of federal campaign committee) that receives a contribution meeting all of the below requirements must disclose that contribution to the State Board of Elections within 48 hours:[13]
- the contribution totals $1,000 or more
- the contribution is received after the period covered by the last report due before the election
- the contribution is received on or before the election
Campaign finance legislation
The table below displays bills related to campaign finance introduced during or carried over to North Carolina's current legislative session.[14]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in North Carolina can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
North Carolina County Boards of Elections
North Carolina State Board of Elections
- Physical Address: Dobbs Building, Third Floor
- 430 N. Salisbury St
- 6400 Mail Service Center
- Raleigh, NC 27603-1362
- Mailing Address: PO Box 27255
- Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-7255
- Phone: 919-814-0700
- Fax: 919-715-0135
- Email: elections.sboe@ncsbe.gov
- Website: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
- 1050 First Street, NE
- Washington, DC 20463
- Telephone: (202)-694-1100
- Toll-free: 1-800-424-9530
- Email: info@fec.gov
- Website: http://www.fec.gov/
Election and campaign ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked 9 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns.
- North Carolina No Convicted Felons for Sheriff, Amendment 1 (2010)
- North Carolina Reduce Voting Residency Requirement and Eliminate Poll Tax Amendment (1920)
- North Carolina Allow Special Elections for Constitutional Amendments Measure (1932)
- North Carolina Allow for Tax Increment Bonds Without Voter Approval Amendment (1982)
- North Carolina State and County Officer Elections in Odd-Numbered Years Amendment (May 1986)
- North Carolina Repeal Literacy Voting Requirement Amendment (1970)
- North Carolina Voting Age and Elective Office Eligibility Amendment (1972)
- North Carolina State Income Tax and Tax Limits Amendment (1920)
- North Carolina Presidential Election Voting Residency Requirement Amendment (1962)
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms North Carolina finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Campaign finance regulation
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in North Carolina
- North Carolina
Footnotes
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," accessed May 28, 2025
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "About the FEC," accessed June 27, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate Registration Brochure," accessed December 7, 2012
- ↑ New York Times, "Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit," January 21, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Speechnow.org v. FEC," April 7, 2014
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Two Federal Court Rulings Could Change Campaign Finance Landscape," March 26, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ongoing Litigation," accessed March 18, 2015
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates 2023-2024 Election Cycle," accessed May 8, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 22A, Section 278.7," accessed August 20, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 22A, Section 278.9," accessed August 20, 2025
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 22A, Section 278.9," accessed August 20, 2025
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 North Carolina General Statutes, "Chapter 163, Article 22A, Section 278.11," accessed August 20, 2025
- ↑ Correspondence with the North Carolina State Board of Elections in January 2014.
- ↑ Bills are organized by most recent action. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
