Elections > Campaign Finance
All campaign finance reporting can be found in the Campaign Finance System. For detailed information regarding compliance with campaign finance law, please see our Campaign Finance Guide. To see filing statuses as of the most recent period, click on Vermont 2024 Candidates and Campaign Finance.
2023
2024
Local Candidates and Public Question Advocacy
Candidates for local office who have raised or spent $500 or more must file campaign finance reports with the Office of the Secretary of State thirty days before, ten days before, 4 days before, and two weeks after the local election. A final report is due within 40 days of the elections.
PACs and parties that have raised or spent more than $1,000 to influence a local election or support candidates in a local election must file campaign finance reports with the Office of the Secretary of State on these same dates.
Any formal or informal committee of two or more individuals or another organization (not a political party) which spends $1,000 or more for the purpose of advocating a position on a public question must file reports of its expenditures on these same dates.
There is no longer a separate limit for the Primary and General elections. All limits are the total amount that may be contributed to the candidate, PAC, or party over the entire two-year period between elections 17 V.S.A. §2941(c). Limits include a 6.4% increase for the 2024 Election Cycle under 17 V.S.A. §2905.
NOTE - the campaign finance law no longer contains an exception to these limits for family members of a candidate. A candidate may still donate unlimited amounts to his or her own campaign, but contributions from family members must adhere to the limits described above. 17 V.S.A. § 2947
If you have questions, please email [email protected]
All campaign finance disclosures for all entities must be filed through the online filing system, see 17 V.S.A. §2961(b). If you need to amend a previously filed paper report, please contact the Elections Division.
Candidates who do not raise or spend $500 during the election cycle and did not roll over surplus from a previous campaign, must file this form affirming they did not reach the monetary threshold. Local candidates are not required to file this form: Form for Candidates Not Raising or Spending Over $500
Reports related to the 2022 General Election
Reports Related to March 3, 2020 Annual Meeting
Reports Related to May 28, 2020 South Burlington School District Vote
Under Vermont law, a political action committee (PAC) is “any formal or informal committee of two or more individuals or a corporation, labor organization, public interest group, or other entity, not including a political party, which accepts contributions of $1,000.00 or more and makes expenditures of $1,000.00 or more in any two-year general election cycle for the purpose of supporting or opposing one or more candidates, influencing an election, or advocating a position on a public question in any election, and includes an independent expenditure-only political committee.” 17 V.S.A. §2901(13).
Any PAC that raises $1,000 or more and spends $1,000 or more within any two-year general election cycle must register with the Office of the Secretary of State and file all regularly required disclosure reports.
Independent Expenditure-Only PACs
Vermont law defines an independent expenditure-only PAC as “a political committee that conducts its activities entirely independent of candidates; does not give contributions to candidates, political committees, or political parties; does not make related expenditures; and is not closely related to a political party or to a political committee that makes contributions to candidates or makes related expenditures.”
Currently, contribution limits do not apply to independent expenditure-only PACs. The contribution limits will not apply to these “IE-only” PACs unless and until the final disposition of a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court holds that limits on contributions to independent expenditure-only political committees are constitutional. Although the contribution limits do not apply to independent expenditure-only PACs, these PACs must register with the Office of the Secretary of State within 10 days of reaching the threshold and must file all regularly required disclosure reports.
Federal and Out-of-State PACs or Political Parties
Any PAC that reaches the $1,000 raising and spending threshold must register with the the Office of the Secretary of State, regardless of where the treasurer or principal place of business of the PAC or party is located. A PAC or political party with a principal place of business outside of Vermont or whose treasurer is not located in Vermont must file a statement with the Office of the Secretary of State designating a person who resides in the state as the representative for the PAC.
Since Vermont law limits contributions to political committees (PACs) to $4,080, any political committee (PAC) that receives contributions greater than $4,080 is prohibited from making contributions to Vermont candidates unless it segregates the compliant contributions for use in Vermont.
PACs Operating in Local Elections
Any PAC that has accepted contributions or made expenditures of $1,000 or more for the purpose of influencing a local election or supporting or opposing one or more candidates in a local election must register with the Office of the Secretary of State and file campaign finance reports thirty days before, ten days before, and two weeks after the local election.
Currently Registered PACs
Find registered PACs and reporting in the Campaign Finance System
Elections Division
128 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05633
Office Hours:
7:45 to 4:30, Monday - Friday
(Except Holidays)
802-828-2363
Contact the Elections Division