WebJunction - Elections & the Political Process -- Government Information in the 21st Century

Federal Elections Commission (FEC)

In 1975, Congress created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) - the statute that governs the financing of federal elections. The duties of the FEC are as follows:

• disclose campaign finance information
• enforce the provisions of the law such as the limits and prohibitions on contributions
• oversee the public funding of Presidential elections.
(Note: The FEC does not regulate State or local office election campaigns.)

The Commission is made up of six members, who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Each member serves a six-year term, and two seats are subject to appointment every two years. By law, no more than three Commissioners can be members of the same political party, and at least four votes are required for any official Commission action. This structure was created to encourage nonpartisan decisions. The Chairmanship of the Commission rotates among the members each year, with no member serving as Chairman more than once during his or her term.