FEC allows candidates to more easily pay themselves from campaign funds

New rules went into effect Friday that allow federal presidential candidates to more easily withdraw their salaries from campaign coffers.

new rules It aims to correct the barriers often cited by working Americans when considering running for office, an endeavor that is often costly and costly.

“Today is an exciting day in the world of campaign finance. Today, updated candidate pay rules officially go into effect.” Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Dara Lindenbaum I wrote to Xthe platform formerly known as Twitter.

“When federal presidential candidates file their candidacy with the @FEC, they may begin collecting a salary from the Board of Elections at a rate of up to 50% of the U.S. minimum housing salary or average income earned over the past five years. “It’s possible. It’s low,” Lindenbaum continued.

According to one study, the average annual salary for members of the U.S. House of Representatives is $174,000. Congressional Research Service Report. Under the updated rules, current federal employees cannot receive compensation from campaign funds.

Strict limits were initially placed on when and how much campaign funds candidates could use to pay their salaries, to avoid inappropriate personal use of donations. Compensation is tied to previous year’s earnings, and candidates could not begin receiving pay until state nomination filing deadlines, which vary widely.

Critics said this would deter young people, the unemployed or people working from home from running for office.

“Under the old rules, candidates couldn’t start receiving a paycheck until they were eligible to vote, but in many cases that was months after they started campaigning, quit their jobs and started campaigning full time. There were a lot of things going on,” Lindenbaum told The Hill. “Most of us have been unable to survive for months without income, but these new regulations will allow candidates to withdraw their paychecks when filing their candidacy.”

a Pew Research Center survey Of 8,480 U.S. adults in July, 85% said campaign costs made it difficult for good candidates to run.

The FEC filed a petition asking for the rulemaking after quitting her job to run for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District during the 2020 election cycle. In response, amendments to the rules were approved in December.

“If we want a representative democracy with members who share our lived experiences, we need to remove the financial barriers that prevent so many qualified Americans from running for office,” Islam said last year. He told commissioners at the FEC meeting in March.

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) also attended last spring’s conference, pushing for reforms that would make it easier for candidates to earn a living wage while campaigning.

Frost, the first Gen Z congressman, said he worked as a part-time Uber driver during the campaign. But that didn’t cover his living expenses, he said, racking up debt and damaging his credit, leading his Washington landlord to reject his apartment offer.

The commission chose not to allow candidates to use campaign funds for health care, although they are allowed to use campaign funds for staff insurance.

“In short, this rulemaking did not go as far as it could have, but it does make it more “I am optimistic that many people will be able to run for office.” .

“We applaud these people for speaking out and sharing their stories. In doing so, we hope to remove some of the stigma that comes with being paid as a candidate. “, the commissioners added. “We want prospective candidates to do so without shame when they decide to get paid for real work to advance their campaigns.”