Campaign Contribution Limits Rise

Starting tomorrow, donors may give more money to their preferred political candidates.

Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the contribution limit for North Carolina candidates and political committees increases by $400 per election, from $6,400 to $6,800. No individual or political committee may contribute more than $6,800 to a candidate committee or political committee in any election.

Pursuant to Limitation on contributions [N.C.G.S. § 163-278.13(b)], at the beginning of each odd-numbered calendar year, the State Board of Elections is required to calculate and publish the contribution limit based on changes to the consumer price index (all items — U.S. city average). The 2025 change is based on the 6.1645 percent increase in the index from July 1, 2022 to July 1, 2024.

A notice of the increase will appear in the North Carolina Register on Jan. 15, 2025.

There are exceptions to the contribution limit:

• A candidate or candidate’s spouse may contribute unlimited amounts to that candidate’s committee.
• Any national, state, district or county executive committee of any political party recognized under “Political party” defined; creation of new party (N.C.G.S. § 163-96) is exempt from contribution limits.

If there is a primary and a general election, the political committee may receive $6,800 from a contributor between the beginning of the election cycle and the day of the primary, and another $6,800 from the same contributor beginning the day after the primary through the end of the election year.