Political Finance Database
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit?
| Theme | Regulations of spending |
|---|---|
| Description | If there is a limit on the amount that a candidates can spend, this question covers that amount |
Breakdown by continent
| Continent | No data | Not applicable | Other | Countries researched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 6 (11.8%) |
30 (58.8%) |
15 (29.4%) |
51 |
| Americas | 1 (2.9%) |
18 (52.9%) |
15 (44.1%) |
34 |
| Asia | 4 (10.8%) |
13 (35.1%) |
20 (54.1%) |
37 |
| Europe | 1 (2.2%) |
16 (35.6%) |
28 (62.2%) |
45 |
| Oceania | 0 (0.0%) |
11 (78.6%) |
3 (21.4%) |
14 |
| Other | 0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 |
| Total | 12 | 88 | 81 | 181 |
Country Answers
| Country | Year | Value (Text) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2021 | Varies by election and defined by the Electoral Commission | |
| Albania | 2021 | Obligations provided for in this Article shall also apply to candidates proposed by voters, registered in accordance with Articles 69 and 70 of this law. The total expenditures a candidate proposed by the voters may make must not exceed 50% of the highest amount that an electoral subject has obtained from public funds, in accordance with Article 88 of this law; The total expenditures made by an electoral subject, including its candidates, for an electoral campaign must not exceed 3 times the highest amount that an electoral subject has received from public funds for electoral purposes, in accordance with Article 88 of this Law. Any electoral campaign expenditure shall be documented and implemented in compliance with the effective fiscal legislation. For the purpose of this Law, “campaign expenditure” shall mean any expenditure made by a party or its candidates for electoral campaign purposes, regardless of the date it is made. | |
| Algeria | 2021 | Presidential elections=120.000.000 DA for the first round;140.000.000 DA for the second round. Electoral campaign expenses for each list of candidates for the legislative elections cannot exceed 2.500.000 DA per candidate. | |
| Andorra | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Angola | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Argentina | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Armenia | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Australia | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Austria | 2023 | The maximum campaign expenditure of €7 million is calculated at the level of the party and also includes all expenditure of candidates, except for candidate expenditure of less than €15,000. | |
| Azerbaijan | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| Bahamas | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Bahrain | 2021 | No data | |
| Bangladesh | 2018 | Twenty five lakh | |
| Barbados | 2018 | The spending limit for the candidate depends on the constituency. The limit is calculated at the rate of10 BBD in respect of each registered elector in the constituency. For example, in the City of Bridgetown constituency the limit is 69,150 BBD (6,915 electors * 10 BBD). Additionally, a candidate has a right to cover own personal expenses related to the elections up to 50 BBD. This amount is not included in the candidate's overall spending limit. | |
| Belarus | 2018 | In 2018 the value of 1 basic unit = 24,5 BYN (Belarusian Ruble). Thus, in 2018 the maximum sum of all the expenditures from the electoral fund of a candidate for the President of the Republic of Belarus may not exceed 91500 Euro (9,000 basic units); a candidate for deputy of the House of Representatives – 10167 Euro (1000 basic units); a candidate for deputy of regional, Minsk city Council of Deputies – 305 Euro (30 basic units); while holding elections of deputies of regional, Minsk city Council of deputies, a candidate for deputy of deputies of district, city (cities of regional and district subordination), settlement and rural Councils of Deputies – 102 Euro (10 basic units). | |
| Belgium | 2018 | Depends on candidate's position on the nomination list; limit includes fixed amount and amount for registered voter in previous election | |
| Belize | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Benin | 2018 | 500,000 francs for the election of members of village or neighborhood, city Councils; 1,500,000 francs for municipal and communal elections; 15,000,000 francs for legislative elections;2,500,000,000 francs for the presidential elections | |
| Bhutan | 2018 | Nu.130,000 from the Election Commission of Bhutan plus funds from party (which should not exceed the fund provided by the Election Commission of Bhutan) | |
| Bolivia | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2018 | Limit based on number of voters and type of election: | 0.20 KM per voter for the elections of members of Cantonal Assemblies, | 0.30 KM per voter for all other elections | |
| Botswana | 2021 | 50,000 pulas | |
| Brazil | 2019 | Varies according to office contested | |
| Bulgaria | 2021 | The amounts of spending depend on the type of elections and the actors involved in the respective campaigns (parties, coalitions or nomination committees). | |
| Burkina Faso | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Burundi | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Cabo Verde | 2018 | Not more than 80% of the overall amount of the State subsidy for the elections in question. | |
| Cambodia | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Cameroon | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Canada | 2019 | A spending limit is set for each electoral district. These limits are calculated according to a formula based on the number of names on the preliminary or revised lists of electors for each electoral district. | |
| Central African Republic | 2021 | No data | |
| Chad | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Chile | 2018 | Varies from office to office, but in every case is set according to a formula | |
| Colombia | 2021 | Limits on campaign spending change for each election, and are imposed to the campaign. For 2022, they are: $96.215.827.231 (for Senate – ordinary electoral district), $2.886.474.816 (for Senate – indigenous special electoral district), between $1.506.613.332 and $20.093.516.658 (for Representative Chambers, according to the number of voters) Source: Resolución No. 0227 de 2021 And for Presidential Candidates: $ 27.453.094.557 (first round), $ 12.840.703.931 (run-off) Resolución No. 1677 de 2021 | |
| Comoros | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Costa Rica | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Croatia | 2018 | The total amount of election campaign costs per candidate or per list of candidates shall not exceed the following amounts: – HRK 8,000,000.00 (eight million) in the case of elections for President of the Republic of Croatia; – HRK 1,500,000.00 (one million five hundred thousand) within a single constituency in the case of the election of MPs; – HRK 1,500,000.00 (one million five hundred thousand) in the case of the election of members to the European Parliament; – HRK 1,000,000.00 (one million) in the case of elections for the mayor of the City of Zagreb; – HRK 600,000.00 (six hundred thousand) in the case of elections for county prefect and mayor of major cities. – HRK 250,000.00 (two hundred and fifty thousand) in the case of elections for city and municipality head in local self-government units with a population exceeding 10,000; – HRK 100,000.00 (one hundred thousand) in the case of elections for city and municipal chief officials in local self-government units with populations from 3,001 to 10,000; – HRK 50,000.00 (fifty thousand) in the case of elections for mayor and municipality head in local self-government units with a population not exceeding 3,000. | |
| Cyprus | 2018 | 30.000€ | |
| Czechia | 2018 | Parliamentary elections - CZK 90,000,000 for the Chamber of Deputies elections and CZK 2,000,000 for Senate elections; Presidential elections - CZK 40,000,000. | |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Denmark | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Djibouti | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Dominica | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Dominican Republic | 2021 | Depends on office contested. | |
| Ecuador | 2021 | Spending limit depends on the public office election. For national and provincial assemblymen, governors and regional governors and the binomial prefecture and vice prefecture: limit is the amount resulting from multiplying the value of of zero comma fifteen cents of the United States of America by the number of citizens recorded in the registry of the respective jurisdiction. In no case will the spending limit be less than US$ 15,000. | |
| Egypt | 2019 | EGP 20 million | |
| El Salvador | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2021 | No data | |
| Estonia | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Eswatini | 2018 | No data | |
| Ethiopia | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Fiji | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Finland | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| France | 2019 | Depends on the type of elections. | |
| Gabon | 2018 | No data | |
| Georgia | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Germany | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Ghana | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Greece | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Grenada | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Guatemala | 2018 | No data | |
| Guinea | 2018 | limit is set by decision of the President of the INEC. | |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Guyana | 2018 | Twenty five Thousand dollars | |
| Haiti | 2018 | In the context of private financing of political campaigns, the law states that: "The ceiling for each level is as follows: a) For a candidate for the post of Presidenthe t of the Republic, one hundred million gourdes (100,000,000); b) For a candidate for the post of the Senator, twenty million gourdes (Gdes 20,000,000); (c) For a candidate for the office of Deputy, one million five hundred thousand gourdes (Gdes 1,500,000); d) For the post of a Mayor, one million gourdes (Gdes 1,000,000); (e) For a post of CASEC, two hundred and fifty thousand gourdes (Gdes 250,000); f) For a candidate for ASEC, one hundred thousand gourdes (Gdes 100,000). " | |
| Honduras | 2021 | The limits for campaign expenses shall be set for each electoral process | |
| Hungary | 2018 | HUF 5 million for each single-member and national list candidate HUF 995 million for the parties that field the maximum number of candidates | |
| Iceland | 2018 | Depends on the constituency. | |
| India | 2019 | 7 million rupees (or $ 106,000) and 2.8 million rupees ($42,000) | |
| Indonesia | 2021 | Depends on number of voters, the coverage/area, and the regional cost standards | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 2021 | It is determined by the Central Executive Board | |
| Iraq | 2019 | No data | |
| Ireland | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Israel | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Italy | 2019 | 52,000 EUR + 0.001 EUR times the number of citizens living in the constituencies in which the candidate stands (national and European elections)| 38.802,85 EUR + 0.0061 EUR times the number of citizens living in the provincial constituency for which the candidates stand (for regional, provincial and municipal elections) | |
| Jamaica | 2018 | 15,000,000 GHS | |
| Japan | 2018 | different from each election | |
| Jordan | 2019 | No data | |
| Kazakhstan | 2018 | 500 minimum wages (Senate elections), 15,000 minimum wages (Presidential elections). | |
| Kenya | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| Kiribati | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Korea, Republic of | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Kosovo | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2021 | The calculated indicator=100, 100,000*100=10,000,000 KGS | |
| Latvia | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Lebanon | 2019 | No data | |
| Lesotho | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Liberia | 2018 | Representative candidate; USD 400,000 [I$ 711,000] Senate candidate: USD 600,000 [I$ 1,100,000]Vice President candidate: USD 1,000,000 [I$ 1,800,000]President candidate: USD 2,000,000 [I$ 3,600,000] | |
| Libya | 2021 | Determined by The High National Election Commission. | |
| Liechtenstein | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Lithuania | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Luxembourg | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Madagascar | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Malawi | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| Malaysia | 2021 | (a) two hundred thousand ringgit in the case of an election to the Dewan Rakyat;(b) one hundred thousand ringgit in the case of an election to a Legislative Assembly; (c) ten thousand ringgit in the case of an election to a local authority other than a local council;(d) three thousand ringgit in the case of an election to a local council:Provided that paragraphs (c) and (d) shall have no application in Sabah and Sarawak. | |
| Maldives | 2018 | 1500MVR per voter per constituency | |
| Mali | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Malta | 2018 | 20,000 EUR for every electoral district | |
| Marshall Islands | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Mauritania | 2018 | • PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: 10 Million UM / Moughataa. • LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS: 10 Million UM / Moughataa. • SENATE ELECTIONS: 05 million UM / Moughataa. • MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS: 07 Million UM / Commune- Moughataa, chief town of Wilaya; : 04 Million UM / Municipality of Moughataa, head of Department; 02 Million UM / Other Rural Communes. | |
| Mauritius | 2018 | Different spending limits depending on the type of elections: parliamentary elections, 250,000 rupees (USD 7,040), municipal elections, 50,000 rupees (USD 1,400) and regional elections, 100,000 rupees (USD 2,800). | |
| Mexico | 2019 | The spending limit is calculated and varies for each election and office contested. | |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Moldova, Republic of | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Monaco | 2018 | Not less than 240.000€ | |
| Mongolia | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Montenegro | 2021 | Presidential candidates may spend up to the amount of the total budget allocation for election campaigns plus the maximum amount established for private donations. The spending limit for parliamentary and local elections is determined by the Agency for Prevention of Corruption (APC). | |
| Morocco | 2021 | 500.000 Dirhams for legislative elections and 300.000 Dirhams for those of members of House of Councilors, the upper house. The limits for regional, provincial and prefectural, and communal elections are, in turn, 150.000, 50.000 and 60.000 Dirhams. | |
| Mozambique | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Myanmar | 2018 | Not exceeding 10,000,000 (ten million) MMK | |
| Namibia | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Nauru | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Nepal | 2018 | As prescribed by the Election Commission | |
| Netherlands | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| New Zealand | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Nicaragua | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Niger | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Nigeria | 2023 | Other | |
| North Macedonia, Republic of | 2021 | MKD 110 per registered voter | |
| Norway | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Pakistan | 2021 | As per section 132 (3) (a) (b) (c) Elections Act, 2017, expense limits are as follows;(a) One million and five hundred thousand rupees for election to a seat in the Senate; (b) four million rupees for election to a seat in the National Assembly and (c) two million rupees for election to a seat in a Provincial Assembly. | |
| Palau | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Panama | 2023 | Other (explain in comments in local currency) | |
| Papua New Guinea | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Paraguay | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Peru | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Philippines | 2018 | Ten pesos for every registered voter for President and Vice-President candidates; Three pesos for every registered voter in the constituency where the candidate filed a certificate of candidacy for other candidates with a political party; Five pesos for every registered voter in the constituency where the candidate filed a certificate of candidacy for other candidates without any political party and without support from any political party. | |
| Poland | 2019 | PLN 32 million (EUR 7.5 million) for parliamentary elections in 2019. PLN 19 million (EUR 4.4 million) for presidential election in 2020. PLN 19 million (EUR 4.4 million) for European Parliament elections in 2019. | |
| Portugal | 2018 | From 150 to 12,500 minimum monthly wages depending on election type. | |
| Republic of The Congo (Brazzaville) | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Romania | 2018 | The limits on expenditures vary based on the type of elections. | |
| Russian Federation | 2018 | Maximum 40 million RUB for an individual candidate running in single-mandate electoral district (for the Parliamentary elections) and maximum 400 million RUB for a candidate running for the Presidential elections. | |
| Rwanda | 2019 | Not applicable | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Saint Lucia | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Samoa | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| San Marino | 2018 | It cannot exceed the public funds given to the largest group in parliament, some EUR 630,000 for 2016 elections. | |
| Senegal | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Serbia | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| Seychelles | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Sierra Leone | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Singapore | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Slovakia | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| Slovenia | 2018 | Depends on the type of election. | |
| Solomon Islands | 2018 | Value shown in Solomon Island Dollars | |
| South Africa | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Spain | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Sri Lanka | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Sudan | 2018 | No data | |
| Suriname | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Sweden | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Switzerland | 2023 | Not applicable | |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 2021 | No data | |
| Taiwan | 2021 | 《公職人員選舉罷免法》第41條 各種公職人員競選經費最高金額，除全國不分區及僑居國外國民立法委員選舉外，應由選舉委員會於發布選舉公告之日同時公告。 前項競選經費最高金額，依下列規定計算： 一、立法委員、直轄市議員、縣（市）議員、鄉（鎮、市）民代表、原住民區民代表選舉為以各該選舉區之應選名額除選舉區人口總數百分之七十，乘以基本金額新臺幣三十元所得數額，加上一固定金額之和。 二、直轄市長、縣（市）長、鄉（鎮、市）長、原住民區長、村（里）長選舉為以各該選舉區人口總數百分之七十，乘以基本金額新臺幣二十元所得數額，加上一固定金額之和。 前項所定固定金額，分別定為立法委員、直轄市議員新臺幣一千萬元、縣（市）議員新臺幣六百萬元、鄉（鎮、市）民代表、原住民區民代表新臺幣二百萬元、直轄市長新臺幣五千萬元、縣（市）長新臺幣三千萬元、鄉（鎮、市）長、原住民區長新臺幣六百萬元、村（里）長新臺幣二十萬元。 Article 41, Civil Servants Election And Recall Act The maximum campaign fund of each kind of civil servants shall be publicized by the election commission on the same day when the public notice for election is issued except for the national integrated election and overseas election of central civil servants. The maximum campaign fund referred to in the preceding Paragraph shall be calculated pursuant to the following provisions: 1. For the election of members of the Legislative Yuan, municipal councilors, county (city) councilors, the representatives of a township (city) congress, and the representatives of an Indigenous district congress , the maximum shall be the sum of 70 % of the total population of the electoral district divided by the quota of elect and the multiply by the basic amount of NT$ 30, plus a fixed amount. 2. For the election of a municipal mayor, the governor of a county (city), the chief of an Indigenous district, and the chief of a village (borough), the maximum shall be the sum of 70 % of the total population of the electoral district divided by the quota of elect and then multiplied by the basic amount of NT$ 20, plus a fixed amount. The fixed amount referred to in the preceding Paragraph is NT$ 10,000,000 for each member of the Legislative Yuan and municipal councilor, NT$ 6,000,000 for a county (city) councilor, NT$ 2,000,000 for a representative of an Indigenous district congress, NT$ 50,000,000 for a municipal mayor, NT$ 30,000,000 for the governor of a county (city), NT$ 6,000,000 for the chief of a township (city) and NT$ 200,000 for the chief of a village (borough). | |
| Tajikistan | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | 2021 | Limit determined by Minister | |
| Thailand | 2018 | Not exceeding THB 1,500,000 | |
| The Gambia | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Timor-Leste | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Togo | 2018 | Presidential election : five hundred million (500,000,000) francs CFA per candidate Senatorial election: ten million (10,000,000) francs CFA per candidate Legislative election: ten million (10,000,000) francs CFA per candidate Local election: five million (5,000,000) francs CFA per candidate | |
| Tonga | 2018 | $10,000 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2018 | 50,000 TTD in the case of a Parliamentary election or 25,000 TTD in the case of a Municipal Council or the Tobago House of Assembly election. Additionally, a candidate has a right to cover own personal expenses related to the elections up to 5,000 TTD. This amount is not included in the candidate's overall spending limit. | |
| Tunisia | 2023 | Other | |
| Turkey | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Turkmenistan | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Tuvalu | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Uganda | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Ukraine | 2021 | The personal electoral fund of a candidate during elections to the Parliament shall not exceed 4000 times the minimum wage (24 000 000 UAH in 2021). | |
| United Kingdom | 2018 | No data | |
| United States | 2018 | The spending limit is different for each presidential election. For more information, see the FEC's website: https://transition.fec.gov/pages/brochures/pubfund_limits_2016.shtml | |
| Uruguay | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Uzbekistan | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Vanuatu | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Venezuela | 2021 | Not applicable | |
| Yemen | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Zambia | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| Zimbabwe | 2018 | Not applicable |
Total number of countries in selected sample: 181
