Committees receiving such contributions must use a merchant provider to process transactions and receive funds from a card holder's card company.  A debit card contribution is processed in a similar fashion, except the funds come from a contributor's designated bank account, not a credit card provider.

Recipient committees must report the gross amount of a contribution, not the net amount that is forwarded by the merchant provider after taking its fee.  For example, while an individual may make a $100 contribution by credit card, a smaller amount is actually received by the committee.  Nevertheless, the committee's campaign finance report should disclose a contribution of $100 from that individual.

For more information, see OCPF's regulations concerning credit card contributions (970 CMR 1.09) and Memorandum M-04-01:  Contributions to Political Committees by Credit or Debit Card.  Those with further questions about the credit or debit card process are advised to contact OCPF.  Our phone numbers are (617) 979-8300 and (800) 462-OCPF (6273). The e-mail address is ocpf@cpf.state.ma.us.

On Sept. 19, 2006, Gov. Mitt Romney signed Chapter 299 of the Acts of 2006 (formerly Senate 2277), "An Act Further Regulating Election Practices."

The new law deals chiefly with election laws and poll workers, but also includes one change to M.G.L. Chapter 55, the campaign finance law: it adds a paragraph to Section 5 that prohibits the Secretary of the Commonwealth, any city or town clerk who conducts elections, or any election commissioner or registrar of voters from serving as the chair, treasurer or "other principal officer" of any political committee, including candidate committees, PACs and party committees (excluding his or her own candidate committee).

The language of the relevant section is:

"The state secretary, a city or town clerk, or a member of a board of registrars of voters or election commission in any city or town shall not serve as the chairman, treasurer, or other principal officer of any political committee, but any such public officer may serve as the chairman or principal officer, other than treasurer, of the political committee organized on his own behalf.  This paragraph shall not apply to city or town clerks who do not administer elections."

Click here for a link to the full text of the law.

Those with further questions are encouraged to contact OCPF.

On July 22, 2004, the House and Senate overrode the Governor's veto of two outside sections of the state budget that amended Chapter 55, Section 9A, dealing with contributions to political action committees in the form of wire transfer.  Section 9A had previously allowed a contributor to transfer funds to a PAC, but only through his or her own bank, not through another party.  The change now allows electronic transfers of funds to a PAC from a contributor's funds through his or her employer, such as deductions from wages.

The change in the law also increased the maximum amount that can be contributed from payroll deduction.  Such deductions had been limited by Section 9 to $50; the maximum that can now be contributed by payroll deduction is $500, which also the maximum that can be given to a PAC by an individual.  Aggregate contributions to any individual PAC of above $50, up to and including $500 in the aggregate, may now only be made by either personal check or electronic transfer, such as payroll deduction.

Section 9A allows such transfers to be made only after the contributor completes a card authorizing such an action and submits it to the bank or employer.  The authorization may also be revoked at any time by the contributor, also in writing.

The amendments were codified as Chapter 149 of the Acts of 2004.  The new text of Section 9A may be accessed by clicking on this link.  Those with further questions on the new law should contact OCPF.

In recent years there has been a surge in the political use of the Internet and e-mail.  OCPF Interpretive Bulletin IB-04-01 answers the most frequently asked questions regarding the extent to which the Internet and e-mail may be utilized by candidates, political committees or other persons in connection with elections occurring in Massachusetts, including an in-depth discussion of the expenditures that may be made for Internet access, the services that may be provided to candidates or committees to help them establish websites, the use of links to campaign websites, and access to government websites and e-mail networks.

The campaign finance law requires the director of OCPF to adjust two specific contribution limits every two years based upon the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculated for the Greater Boston area.  The first is the limit on the amount an individual may contribute to a people's committee during a calendar year (M.G.L. c. 55, § 1).  The second is the amount of any individual contribution that may be collected, i.e. bundled, by a regulated intermediary or conduit before certain disclosure requirements of the campaign finance law are triggered (M.G.L. c. 55, § 10A).

OCPF Interpretive Bulletin IB-06-01 answers the most frequently asked questions regarding the applicability of the Massachusetts campaign finance law, M.G.L. c. 55, to various types of advertisements or other communications that might be viewed as "issue oriented," but which might also be seen as praising or disparaging a candidate and provides guidance regarding whether such communications involve the making of expenditures subject to the requirements of the Massachusetts campaign finance law.

The candidates for the six statewide offices in Massachusetts (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Secretary and Auditor) are eligible to receive partial public funding of their campaigns in return for agreeing to spending limits.  Read more... .