Election Campaign Finance: Rules for Spending and Subsidies

Election Expenses and Subsidies: Campaign Finance Regulations

Campaign Administrators and Appointments

General representatives of parties, federations, or coalitions contesting elections must register with the Electoral Board. They are responsible for designating a general manager and representatives for each candidacy with the appropriate Board. Any adult citizen in full possession of their civil and political rights may be appointed to these roles, except those facing a final judicial decision.

Campaign Fund Accounts and Transparency

Administrators are authorized to open accounts for fundraising from the date of their appointment in any bank or savings bank. The details of these accounts must be communicated within 24 hours to the relevant Electoral Boards (e.g., JEC and JEP). To ensure transparency, all individuals or entities providing funds must be identified at the time of deposit, providing their name, address, and identity card or passport to the depositary institution.

Prohibited Contributions to Campaign Funds

Contributions to election fund accounts are strictly prohibited from the following sources:

• Any authority or public corporation.
• Parastatal autonomous bodies of public sector enterprises whose ownership belongs to the State, Autonomous Communities, provinces, or municipalities.
• Mixed-economy companies.
• Companies currently under contract for providing services, supplies, or works for any government entity.

It is also forbidden to contribute funds from foreign entities or persons, except as specifically provided for European Parliament elections.

State Subsidies for Election Costs

The State provides subsidies to parties, federations, coalitions, or groups of voters based on election turnout in Congress, Senate, Parliament, and municipal elections. This grant may in no case exceed the total amount of declared and justified election expenses submitted to the Court of Auditors. To facilitate campaign operations, advances are granted to those who obtained representation in the last election. Such advances shall not exceed 30% of the subsidy received by the same party or coalition in that previous election and must be returned after the current elections.

Allowable Election Expenses

The following are considered legitimate election expenses:

• Preparation of envelopes and ballots.
• Propaganda and advertising directly or indirectly promoting votes for their nominations, in any form or medium.
• Rental of premises for election campaign activities.
• Salaries and bonuses for non-permanent staff providing services to nominations.
• Transportation and travel expenses for candidates, party leaders, associations, and staff related to the nomination.
• Mail and postage costs.
• Interest on loans received for the election campaign that accrued up to the date of receipt of the relevant grant.
• Other necessary expenses for the organization and functioning of offices and services required for the elections.