H.R.3311 - Eliminating Leftover Expenses for Campaigns from Taxpayers (ELECT) Act of 2025 (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R.3311, the ELECT Act of 2025, aims to eliminate taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns. The bill terminates the designation of income tax payments for this purpose and shuts down the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and related accounts. Remaining funds would be transferred to the Treasury's general fund to reduce the deficit.
Expected Effects
The primary effect would be to shift the financial burden of presidential campaigns away from taxpayers. This would likely lead to increased reliance on private donations and potentially alter the dynamics of campaign finance. The Act would also reduce federal spending, albeit potentially by a relatively small amount compared to the overall federal budget.
Potential Benefits
- Reduces federal spending and potentially the national debt.
- Eliminates a specific avenue of taxpayer funding that some may find objectionable.
- May encourage candidates to be more fiscally responsible with campaign funds, knowing they are primarily reliant on private donations.
- Could lead to more diverse funding sources for campaigns.
- Simplifies the tax code by removing a specific designation.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- May increase the influence of wealthy donors and special interests in presidential campaigns.
- Could disadvantage candidates who lack access to large donor networks.
- Potentially reduces the competitiveness of elections if some candidates are significantly better funded than others.
- May lead to more time spent fundraising, diverting attention from policy issues.
- Could decrease transparency in campaign finance if private donations are not adequately regulated.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the Constitution, as it falls under Congress's power to tax and spend for the general welfare (Article I, Section 8). The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, which includes campaign spending, but the bill doesn't directly infringe on this right. It simply alters the funding mechanism. The bill does not appear to violate any specific constitutional provision.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).