Affiliation |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Out-of-State Political Committees, Incidental Committees |
Campaign Contributions, Contribution Limits, Registration |
Allowable Uses of Campaign Funds |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Campaign Expenditures |
Anonymous Contributions |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Campaign Contributions |
Campaign Loans |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Campaign Loans |
Campaign Loans & Loan Agreements |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Campaign Loans |
Candidate Loan Repayments |
General |
Candidates |
Campaign Loans |
Charging for Endorsement or Media Coverage
Charging money for an endorsement or media coverage is illegal. |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees |
|
Concealment |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee |
Campaign Contributions, Campaign Expenditures |
Contributing to Other Candidates and Committees |
General |
Candidates |
Campaign Contributions |
Contribution Limits |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Out-of-State Political Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Campaign Contributions, Contribution Limits |
Contribution Limits After Redistricting |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Lobbyists |
Contribution Limits |
Contributions - Receiving Currency |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee |
Campaign Contributions |
Contributions - Reimbursements |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Lobbyists |
Campaign Contributions |
Contributions from Out-of-State Committees |
General |
Candidates, Out-of-State Political Committees |
Campaign Contributions, Reporting Deadlines |
Contributions Given Within Three Weeks Of General Election ("11th Hour" Contributions) |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee |
Campaign Contributions, Contribution Limits |
Definition of "Within 21 Days of a General Election" |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Contribution Limits |
Describing Candidates in Ads
Party preference must be stated if the office is a partisan one. Rules govern photo size and certain descriptive terms. |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists |
Political Advertising |
Distinguishing In-Kind Loans, Debt, and Pledges |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates |
Campaign Debt, Campaign Expenditures, Campaign Loans |
Earmarked Contributions |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Lobbyists |
Campaign Contributions |
False Political Advertising
False political ads, published with actual malice, are illegal. |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Political Advertising |
Guidelines for Local Government Agencies in Election Campaigns |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Public Agencies |
Public Agency Facilities |
Guidelines for School Districts In Election Campaigns
Public disclosure law governing use of public facilities in school district campaigns |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Public Agencies |
Public Agency Facilities |
In the matter of the Petition from Institute for Free Speech Regarding Pro Bono Legal Work
The Commission issued an order concerning a non-profit organization's plan to provide pro bono legal services to a person who plans to appeal a ruling in a campaign finance court case. The order says the non-profit need not register or file reports with the PDC, nor disclose its donors, as long as it represents the person in his individual capacity in the appeal. [Declaratory Order No. 18, issued May 27, 2021] |
Declaratory Order |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer, Grassroots Lobbying, Public Agencies, Official disclosing personal financial information, Elected Officials, Voters & the Public |
Enforcement Cases, Rulemaking |
Items Exempt from Sponsor ID |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Political Advertising |
Legislative Session Freeze |
General |
Candidates, Lobbyists, Elected Officials |
Campaign Contributions |
Library Display of Campaign Materials |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates |
|
Limits on "Last Minute" Contributions |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Contribution Limits |
Online Campaign Activities |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Political Advertising |
Penalty waivers for Small Business Paperwork Violations |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer, Grassroots Lobbying, Public Agencies, Official disclosing personal financial information, Elected Officials, Voters & the Public |
|
Petition for Declaratory Order for A Better Seattle
The Commission issued an order following a petition from the political committee A Better Seattle, which supports a recall vote against Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, to lift a $1,000 limit on contributions from donors. The Commission reviewed a similar request before issuing PDC Declaratory Order 17 in 2015 that suspended enforcement of RCW 42.17A.405 (3) and (14) as applied to a recall committee. The basis for the Commission's actions was Farris v. Seabrook, 677 F.3d 858 (9th Cir. 2012), a federal case that found Washington State's application of contribution limits to a recall committee was unconstitutional under circumstances in which the limits do not further the important interest of preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption. [Declaratory Order No. 19, issued Nov. 26, 2021] |
Declaratory Order |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Contribution Limits |
Political Advertising Guide
Learn the definition of political advertising and how to ensure your ad complies with state law. |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Political Advertising |
Post-Election Deadlines for Candidate Contributions |
General |
Candidates, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Reporting Deadlines |
Primary and General Election Contributions |
General |
Candidates |
Contribution Limits |
Prohibited Contributors to Candidates |
General |
Candidates |
Campaign Contributions |
Prohibited Contributors to State Candidates |
General |
Candidates |
Campaign Contributions |
Public Inspection of Campaign Records |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees |
|
Regarding The Seattle Democracy Voucher Program |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates |
Campaign Contributions |
Reimbursement for Contributions |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees |
|
Reporting Contributions Made and Received Through Electronic Technologies |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Campaign Contributions |
Republishing Online Political Advertising |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees |
Political Advertising |
Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act and PDC Proceedings and Filings |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates, Political Committees |
|
Soliciting Government Employees |
General |
Candidates, Elected Officials |
Public Agency Facilities |
Spending General Election Contributions |
General |
Candidates |
Contribution Limits |
Sponsor ID Placement and Size
Sponsor identification rules on political advertising varies, depending on whether the ad is in print, on a billboard or poster, broadcast or online. |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Political Advertising |
Sponsor ID: What to Include
Political advertising must identify who is paying for it. Learn what details to include. |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer |
Political Advertising |
Surplus Campaign Funds
Learn what to do with surplus campaign funds. |
General |
Candidates |
Surplus Funds |
Transfers of Candidate Surplus Funds to Bona Fide Political Party and Caucus Political Committees |
Commission Interpretation |
Candidates |
Surplus Funds |
Transmitting Contributions (Bundling) |
General |
Candidates, Political Committees |
|
Using Contributions for a Different Office |
General |
Candidates |
Surplus Funds |