§ 169.206"Expenditure" defined

Sec. 6.



                                                                     Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 91 of 2026
Rendered Friday, September 4, 2026                Page 4 of 64                                Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov

    (1) "Expenditure" means a payment, donation, loan, or promise of payment of money or
 anything of ascertainable monetary value for goods, materials, services, or facilities in
 assistance of, or in opposition to, the nomination or election of a candidate, the qualification,
 passage, or defeat of a ballot question, or the qualification of a new political party.
 Expenditure includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
    (a) A contribution or a transfer of anything of ascertainable monetary value for purposes of
 influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, the qualification, passage, or defeat of a
 ballot question, or the qualification of a new political party.
    (b) Except as provided in subsection (2)(f) or (g), an expenditure for voter registration or
 get-out-the-vote activities made by a person who sponsors or finances the activity or who is
 identified by name with the activity.
    (c) Except as provided in subsection (2)(f) or (g), an expenditure made for poll watchers,
 challengers, distribution of election day literature, canvassing of voters to get out the vote, or
 transporting voters to the polls.
    (2) Expenditure does not include any of the following:
    (a) An expenditure for communication by a person with the person's paid members or
 shareholders and those individuals who can be solicited for contributions to a separate
 segregated fund under section 55.
    (b) An expenditure for communication on a subject or issue if the communication does not
 support or oppose a ballot question or candidate by name or clear inference.
    (c) An expenditure for the establishment or administration of, or solicitation, collection, or
 transfer of contributions to, a separate segregated fund, including through a payroll deduction
 plan, or for mailing or shipping of an item or prize purchased under section 55(8).
    (d) An expenditure by a broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical or
 publication for a news story, commentary, or editorial in support of or opposition to a
 candidate for elective office or a ballot question in the regular course of publication or
 broadcasting.
    (e) An offer or tender of an expenditure if expressly and unconditionally rejected or
 returned.
    (f) An expenditure for nonpartisan voter registration or nonpartisan get-out-the-vote
 activities made by an organization that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)
 (3) of the internal revenue code, 26 USC 501, or any successor statute.
    (g) An expenditure for nonpartisan voter registration or nonpartisan get-out-the-vote
 activities performed under chapter XXIII of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL
 168.491 to 168.523a, by the secretary of state and other registration officials who are
 identified by name with the activity.
    (h) An expenditure by a state central committee of a political party or a person controlled by
 a state central committee of a political party for the construction, purchase, or renovation of 1
 or more office facilities in Ingham County if the facility is not constructed, purchased, or
 renovated for the purpose of influencing the election of a candidate in a particular election.
 Items excluded from the definition of expenditure under this subdivision include expenditures
 approved in Federal Election Commission advisory opinions 1993-9, 2001-1, and 2001-12 as
 allowable expenditures under the federal election campaign act of 1971, 52 USC 30101 to
 30146, and regulations promulgated under that act, regardless of whether those advisory
 opinions have been superseded.
    (i) Except only for the purposes of section 57, an expenditure to or for a federal candidate or
 a federal committee.




                                                              Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 91 of 2026
Rendered Friday, September 4, 2026           Page 5 of 64                              Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov

   (j) Except only for the purposes of section 47, an expenditure for a communication if the
 communication does not in express terms advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified
 candidate so as to restrict the application of this act to communications containing express
 words of advocacy of election or defeat, such as "vote for", "elect", "support", "cast your
 ballot for", "Smith for governor", "vote against", "defeat", or "reject".