Supreme Court Adjusts Campaign Finance Rules for Political Parties

Why it matters locally: This Supreme Court decision will directly affect how political parties in New Mexico, including at the state and local level, can coordinate spending with candidates during election campaigns.

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WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court issued a decision today altering campaign finance regulations. The ruling pertains to the amount political parties may spend on coordinated advertising and other associated expenses with candidates. Legal expert Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at UCLA, discussed the implications of the decision. "This changes the rules concerning how political parties operate within federal election campaigns," Hasen stated. The Court's action specifically addresses the extent of financial coordination permitted between a political party and a candidate. Previous regulations set specific ceilings on these types of expenditures. The recent ruling removes these established limitations. Political parties can now engage in advertising campaigns and other forms of support in direct coordination with candidates without adherence to the prior spending caps. This modification affects the financial parameters governing general election campaigns across the country.