PAC vs. Campaign Committee: The Quick Guide for Local Candidates

Local candidates often get confused about the difference between a "campaign committee" and a "PAC." It comes up in fundraising conversations, in compliance paperwork, and in news stories about outside money. Knowing the basics keeps you legal and helps you understand the political ecosystem around your race.

This is the short version.

For the broader playbook, see How to Run for Local Office.

The Plain-English Definitions

A campaign committee is the legal entity that handles your campaign's money. You set it up when you file to run. It has a name (usually "Friends of [Your Name]" or "[Your Name] for [Office]"), a treasurer, a bank account, and ongoing reporting obligations. Every dollar your campaign raises or spends flows through it.

A political action committee (PAC) is a separate organization that exists to support candidates, parties, or causes — but is independent of any single campaign. PACs raise money from donors and spend it on campaigns they support (or against campaigns they oppose).

The simplest way to think about it: your campaign committee is your money. A PAC is somebody else's money that may or may not show up in your race.

What Your Campaign Committee Does

Your campaign committee:

• Holds the campaign bank account
• Reports all donations and expenditures to the state
• Signs contracts (e.g., with the printer for palm cards)
• Pays vendors
• Files campaign finance reports

In nearly every state, candidates for any office that involves raising money must register a campaign committee. Even if you self-fund entirely, most states still require formal registration.

See Campaign Finance Reporting for First-Time Candidates.

What a PAC Does

PACs typically:

• Raise money from donors (subject to per-donor and per-cycle limits)
• Spend that money to support or oppose specific candidates or ballot measures
• Operate independently of any candidate's campaign
• File their own reports with state or federal authorities

Common types of PACs you might encounter in a local race:

• Party committees — Town/county Democratic or Republican committees. They sometimes contribute to candidates and do field operations.
• Ideological PACs — Groups supporting candidates aligned with their values (e.g., environmental, education-focused, etc.).
• Issue PACs — Formed around a specific local issue (e.g., a school budget override committee).
• Independent expenditure PACs — Spend on ads or mailers in your race without coordinating with you.

What "Independent" Means (And Why It Matters)

The critical distinction in PAC law: independent expenditures vs. coordinated expenditures.

• Independent expenditures are spent without coordination with a candidate or campaign. There are no contribution limits on these. A PAC can spend $50,000 on mailers about your race without checking with you.
• Coordinated expenditures are spent in coordination with a campaign. These count against the campaign's contribution limits.

The line between "independent" and "coordinated" is legally specific. You usually cannot:

• Share strategic plans with a PAC supporting you
• Request the PAC make a specific expenditure
• Use the same vendors as a PAC in certain ways

If a PAC is spending money in your race, talk to a campaign attorney. Coordination violations can disqualify candidates.

Do You Need a PAC?

Almost never, for a local race. PACs add reporting overhead, legal complexity, and limited benefit at the local level.

The exceptions:

• You're running a slate of candidates and want to fundraise jointly
• You're trying to support multiple local candidates without running yourself
• You're working on a ballot initiative that's separate from a candidate race

For a single candidate running for school board or council, the campaign committee is all you need.

A Note on "Super PACs"

You may have heard the term "Super PAC." These are federal-level entities created by the Citizens United and related court rulings. They can:

• Raise unlimited amounts from individuals and corporations
• Spend unlimited amounts on independent expenditures
• Not coordinate with campaigns

Super PACs are mostly a federal-race phenomenon. State and local races rarely see them in the way federal races do — though it's increasingly common in state legislative races and high-profile mayoral races.

For most school board and city council candidates, Super PACs are not part of the landscape. But be aware that in some politically charged races (especially school board races involving cultural issues), Super PACs are increasingly active.

What to Do If Outside Money Shows Up in Your Race

Sometimes a PAC or outside group will begin spending in your race — for you or against you. When this happens:

• Confirm independence. You cannot legally coordinate. Don't have substantive conversations with the PAC about its strategy.
• Respond on substance. If the PAC is attacking you, respond to the substance, not the source. Voters generally don't like outside money but won't decide based on who funded what.
• Track everything. Save copies of any outside materials about your race. They may matter for compliance reporting.
• Talk to your treasurer and possibly an attorney. Especially if the PAC supporting you might create coordination issues.

A useful frame: outside money in your race is a sign you're being taken seriously. That's good. Just don't let it turn into a coordination problem.

Contribution Limits

For your campaign committee, most states impose contribution limits per donor per election cycle. Common ranges:

• Individuals: $500–$10,000 depending on state and office level
• PACs: $500–$10,000 to candidates
• Self-funding: Often unlimited (you can give your own campaign as much as you want)
• Anonymous donors: Usually capped very low ($25–$50)

Some states (like Vermont and Massachusetts) have stricter limits. Some states (like Texas) have very few limits on individual contributions to state-level candidates. Verify yours.

The Bottom Line

For most local candidates, the only entity you need to worry about is your own campaign committee. Set it up when you file. Designate a competent treasurer. File your reports on time. Don't accept money from a foreign national. Don't coordinate illegally with PACs.

If you see "PAC" on a donor form or in a news article about your race, you now know what it means. For most local campaigns, that's all the depth you need.

---

CanvassLocal is the canvassing operations tool — separate from compliance, separate from PACs. We focus on the doors. Talk to your treasurer for the rest.