Democratic and Republican parties certified for convention funding (2011)
The Democratic and Republican convention committees will each receive $17,689,800 from the U.S. Treasury for planning and conducting their respective 2012 presidential nominating conventions. The Commission certified that the parties’ convention committees have met all eligibility requirements for public funding. 26 U.S.C. § 9008(g) and 11 CFR 9008.3(a)(3) and (4).
The Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act permits all eligible national committees of major and minor parties to receive public funds to pay the official costs of their presidential nominating conventions. Each major party convention committee is entitled to receive $4 million, plus an adjustment for inflation (since 1974).* 26 U.S.C. § 9008(b)(1) and 11 CFR 9008.4(a). Initial payments are made by the U.S. Treasury on or after July 1 of the year preceding the Presidential election. The U.S. Treasury makes initial payments on or after July 1 of the year preceding the Presidential election. This year, the Republican Party applied for public financing of its 2012 convention on June 1 and received its funding of $17,689,800 on July 1. The Democratic Party applied on September 6 and received the same amount on September 22. The Secretary of the Treasury will certify additional payments, based on final inflation adjustments of approximately $600,000 for each convention, in early 2012. In exchange for public funding of the conventions, committees agree to certain requirements, including spending limits, the filing of periodic disclosure reports and detailed audits by the Commission.
The public funding portion of presidential elections is financed by the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which receives funds through dollars voluntarily "checked off" by taxpayers on federal income tax forms. Previous payments for each major party convention are shown in the chart below:**
The Committee on Arrangements for the 2012 Republican National Convention will host its convention in Tampa, Florida, on August 27-30, 2012. The 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee, Inc. will hold its convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 3-6, 2012.
Footnotes:
2008 - $16,820,760:
2004 - $14,924,000
2000 - $13,512,000
1996 - $12,364,000
1992 - $11,048,000
1988 - $9,220,000
1984 - $8,080,000
1980 - $4,416,000
1976 - $2,182,000
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