Campaign materials exemption for party committees

A state or local party committee may prepare and distribute campaign materials such as pins, bumper stickers and yard signs. The payments are not considered contributions or expenditures if the following conditions are met:

• The activity is conducted on behalf of the party’s nominees or presumptive nominees.
• The materials are distributed by volunteers.
• The materials are not distributed through public political advertising such as television, newspapers, or billboards.
• Materials are not purchased by the national party committee or from money transferred by the national committee for their purchase.
• Funds designated for a particular federal candidate are not used.
• Payments from a nonfederal campaign to help pay for the materials do not exceed its allocated share of the expenses.
• Costs allocable to federal candidates are paid with permissible funds.

For more information on this exemption and others, please visit the Exempt party activities page on the FEC website.