What Is and Is Not a Contribution
21-A M.R.S.A. Section 1012(2)
The term "contribution:"
A. Includes:
(1) A gift, subscription, loan, advance or deposit of money or anything
of value made for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election
of any person to state, county or municipal office or for the purpose
of liquidating any campaign deficit of a candidate, except that a
loan of money to a candidate by a financial institution in this State
made in accordance with applicable banking laws and regulations and
in the ordinary course of business is not included;
(2) A contract, promise or agreement, express or implied, whether
or not legally enforceable, to make a contribution for such purposes;
(3) Funds received by a candidate or a political committee that are
transferred to the candidate or committee from another political committee
or other source; and
(4) The payment, by any person other than a candidate or a political
committee, of compensation for the personal services of other persons
that are provided to the candidate or political committee without
charge for any such purpose; and
B. Does not include:
(1) The value of services provided without compensation by individuals
who volunteer a portion or all of their time on behalf of a candidate
or political committee;
(2) The use of real or personal property and the cost of invitations,
food and beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual to a candidate
in rendering voluntary personal services for candidate-related activities,
if the cumulative value of these activities by the individual on behalf
of any candidate does not exceed $100 with respect to any election;
(3) The sale of any food or beverage by a vendor for use in a candidate's
campaign at a charge less than the normal comparable charge, if the
charge to the candidate is at least equal to the cost of the food
or beverages to the vendor and if the cumulative value of the food
or beverages does not exceed $100 with respect to any election;
(4) Any unreimbursed travel expenses incurred and paid for by an
individual who volunteers personal services to a candidate, if the
cumulative amount of these expenses does not exceed $100 with respect
to any election;
(4-A) Any unreimbursed campaign-related travel expenses incurred
and paid for by the candidate or the candidate's spouse or domestic
partner;
(5) The payment by a party's state, district, county or municipal
committee of the costs of preparation, display or mailing or other
distribution of a party candidate listing;
(6) Documents, in printed or electronic form, including party platforms,
single copies of issue papers, information pertaining to the requirements
of this Title, lists of registered voters and voter identification
information, created, obtained or maintained by a political party
for the general purpose of party building and provided to a candidate
who is a member of that party;
(7) Compensation paid by a state party committee to its employees
for the following purposes:
(a) Providing no more than a total of 40 hours of assistance from
its employees to a candidate in any election;
(b) Recruiting and overseeing volunteers for campaign activities
involving 3 or more candidates; or
(c) Coordinating campaign events involving 3 or more candidates;
(8) Campaign training sessions provided to 3 or more candidates;
(8-A) Costs paid for by a party committee in connection with a campaign
event at which 3 or more candidates are present;
(8-B) Wood or other materials used for political signs that are found
or contributed if not originally obtained by the candidate or contributor
for campaign purposes;
(8-C) The use or distribution of any communication, as described
in section 1014, obtained by the candidate for a previous election
and fully paid for during that election;
(9) The use of offices, telephones, computers and similar equipment
when that use does not result in additional cost to the provider;
or
(10) Activity or communication designed to encourage individuals
to register to vote or to vote if that activity or communication does
not mention a clearly identified candidate.
