Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent federal agency responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws in US federal elections. Its work includes overseeing the public disclosure of campaign finance data, enforcing contribution limits, and managing public funding for presidential campaigns. It was established in 1975.

In FY 2024,

$85.3M

was spent by the Federal Election Commission
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the Federal Election Commission

How much does the Federal Election Commission spend?

The Federal Election Commission spent $85.3 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.0013% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 64th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Federal Election Commission accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of FEC net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Federal Election Commission’s federal spending has increased from $38.3 million in 1980 to $85.3 million in 2024.

The Federal Election Commission’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by FEC, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Federal Election Commission's spending has increased 122.4%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, FEC accounted for 0.0013% of all federal spending. That’s 0.00053 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.0004 points lower than in 1980.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Federal Election Commission’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to FEC, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Federal Election Commission's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all FEC spending.

How did the Federal Election Commission spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to FEC, FY 2024

How many people work for the Federal Election Commission?

Some 291 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Federal Election Commission as of September 2024. This is 16.6% fewer people than the agency staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Federal Election Commission has decreased 16.6% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for FEC, September 2010–2024

FEC accounts for 0.013% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. FEC constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.017%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Federal Election Commission's share of the workforce (0.013%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0013%).

Who leads the Federal Election Commission?

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is led by a group of six commissioners. These commissioners are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The commissioners serve staggered six-year terms, and no more than three commissioners can be members of the same political party. The chairmanship of the FEC rotates among the commissioners each year.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

    FedScope

  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

    Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury logo