Eliminating Leftover Expenses for Campaigns from Taxpayers (ELECT) Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3311
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Taxation
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-08: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-08T16:45:00Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Eliminating Leftover Expenses for Campaigns from Taxpayers (ELECT) Act of 2025 aims to cut federal spending and reduce the national deficit by ending the use of taxpayer money to fund presidential election campaigns and nominating conventions.
Key Provisions
- Termination of Taxpayer Designations: Amends Section 6096 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to stop allowing taxpayers to designate $3 of their federal income tax payments (or $6 for joint filers) toward the Presidential Election Campaign Fund starting for tax years after December 31, 2024. This eliminates the checkbox on tax returns for such contributions.
- Termination of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund: Adds a new Section 9013 to Chapter 95 of the IRC, ending the fund's operations for any presidential election or nominating convention after the bill's enactment date. Any remaining funds in the account will be transferred to the U.S. Treasury's general fund exclusively to reduce the federal deficit.
- Termination of Matching Funds for Primaries: Adds a new Section 9043 to Chapter 96 of the IRC, terminating the federal account that provides matching public funds to presidential primary candidates after the bill's enactment.
- Clerical Updates: Adds entries to the tables of sections in the IRC for the new termination provisions to reflect these changes in the law's organization.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill repeals key parts of the public financing system established by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (as amended), which created voluntary taxpayer checkoffs and public funds for presidential campaigns to reduce reliance on private donations. It fully terminates these mechanisms, shifting away from a system in place for over 50 years that provided general election grants (up to about $100 million per major-party candidate, adjusted for inflation) and matching funds for primaries.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will no longer manage the Presidential Election Campaign Fund or related accounts, simplifying administrative tasks and reducing ongoing costs. Transferred funds could lower the deficit by a small amount (historically, the fund has held tens of millions of dollars).
- On Citizens: Taxpayers will save indirectly through reduced federal spending, but lose the option to direct a small portion of their taxes toward public campaign financing. This may increase overall election costs as candidates seek more private funding.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses solely on domestic U.S. election financing.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Presidential Candidates and Political Parties: Major-party candidates will no longer receive public grants or matching funds, potentially making campaigns more dependent on private donations and increasing fundraising demands.
- Taxpayers and Voters: Everyday citizens who used the tax checkoff to support public financing will see that option eliminated; lower-income or less-connected candidates may face barriers to running viable campaigns.
- Federal Government and Budget: Congress, the Treasury, and IRS benefit from spending cuts, with indirect effects on deficit reduction efforts.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The changes amend the IRC without requiring broader election law reforms, but could face challenges if seen as altering voluntary public financing in ways that affect equal access to ballots. No immediate court tests are anticipated, as public funding is optional.
- Constitutional: Aligns with First Amendment precedents allowing Congress to regulate campaign finance (e.g., via spending limits), but ending public funds might raise equal protection concerns for candidates, though it's unlikely to violate core free speech rights since alternatives like private funding remain available.
- Political: Shifts the campaign finance landscape toward greater private influence, potentially favoring well-funded candidates or parties with strong donor networks. This could spark debates on election equity and public trust in the democratic process, especially in an era of rising campaign costs.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-08: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 2025-05-08: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-08: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Eliminating Leftover Expenses for Campaigns from Taxpayers (ELECT) Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-08 — PDF (3 pages)