What the statutes mean

Chiropractors are important members of their communities and are often asked to contribute to the political campaigns of community and/or state leaders. Contributing to political campaigns can be useful for a doctor in their role as a health care professional and as a business man/woman in the community. The state does, however, have strict rules about contributions. Failure to follow these rules can not only involve financial penalties but can also result in unfavorable publicity that can be very harmful to the chiropractor’s image in the community.

Contributions made through CHIEF are monitored for compliance with this law. Some chiropractors, however, make contributions outside of CHIEF. Chiropractors that make only occasional political contributions might assume that the politician to whom they are contributing will advise them correctly about the law. However, while some may make this attempt, others will not; and, the ultimate responsibility is on the chiropractor making the contribution.

The law sets an absolute limit on the amount you may contribute based on the office the candidate is seeking. If you wish, you may donate the maximum amount to each candidate in the race.

The traditional donation to a campaign is that of money. However, it is not unusual for someone to donate other things of value to a campaign. For example, you might volunteer to have signs or pamphlets printed for the candidate; or, you might donate the use of your office phones to be used for a phone bank. Regardless what you donate, you must count the value of that item towards the limit that is listed below.

You may not give a friend of yours money to donate to a political campaign. If money, or another item of value is coming from you it must be listed in your name.

Statute excerpts

11.26 Limitation on contributions
11.01(6)(a)1 Contribution defined
11.24(1) Unlawful political contributions

11.26 Limitation on contributions

(1) No individual may make any contribution or contributions to a candidate for election or nomination to any of the following offices and to any individual or committee under s. 11.06 (7) acting solely in support of such a candidate or solely in opposition to the candidate’s opponent to the extent of more than a total of the amounts specified per candidate:

Office- Each Candidate Contribution Limit

Governor $ 10,000
Lieutenant governor $ 10,000
Secretary of state $ 10,000
State treasurer $ 10,000
Attorney general $ 10,000
State superintendent $ 10,000
Justice $ 10,000

State senator $ 1,000
Representative to the assembly $ 500
Court of appeals judge (county population over 500,000) $ 3,000
Court of appeals judge (county population under 500,000) $ 2,500
Circuit judge (circuits with population over 300,000 $ 3,000
District attorney (prosecutorial units with population over 300,000) $ 3,000
Circuit judge (circuits with population under 300,000) $ 1,000
District attorney (prosecutorial with population under 300,000) $ 1,000

Candidates for local offices, an amount equal to the greater of 1) $250; or 2) one cent times the number of inhabitants of the jurisdiction or district, according to the latest federal census or the census information on which the district is based, as certified by the appropriate filing officer, but not more than $3,000.

11.01(6)(a)1 Contribution defined

A gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value (except a loan of money by a commercial lending institution made by the institution in accordance with applicable laws and regulations in the ordinary course of business), made for political purposes. In this subdivision “anything of value” means a thing of merchantable value.

11.24(1) Unlawful political contributions

No person may, directly or indirectly, make any contribution other than from funds or property belonging to the contributor. No person may, directly or indirectly, furnish funds or property to another person for the purpose of making a contribution in other than the person’s own name. No person may intentionally accept or receive any contribution made in violation of this subsection.