S. 3691 – Eliminating Leftover Expenses for Campaigns from Taxpayers (ELECT) Act of 2022

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Updated February 8, 2026 at 9:31 AM UTC

The ELECT Act would end the use of federal tax dollars to fund presidential election campaigns. It stops the tax‑code provisions that let taxpayers’ money be used for campaign expenses and directs any remaining money in the existing presidential campaign fund to the Treasury to help lower the deficit. The changes affect future presidential elections and any candidates who would have received such funding.

Key Provisions

Amend the Internal Revenue Code so the taxpayer‑financing provision no longer applies to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2021.
Terminate the presidential election campaign fund and related account provisions for any election after the law’s enactment.
Require the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer any remaining funds in the campaign fund to the general Treasury fund, to be used only for reducing the deficit.
Update the code’s tables of sections to include the new termination sections.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 17, 2022

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 17, 2022

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 17, 2022

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued February 17, 2022

II

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3691

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 17, 2022

Ms. Ernst introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To reduce Federal spending and the deficit by terminating taxpayer financing of Presidential election campaigns.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Eliminating Leftover Expenses for Campaigns from Taxpayers (ELECT) Act of 2022.

2.

Termination of taxpayer financing of Presidential election campaigns

(a)

Termination of designation of income tax payments

Section 6096 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(d)

Termination

This section shall not apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2021.

.

(b)

Termination of fund and account

(1)

Termination of Presidential election campaign fund

(A)

In general

Chapter 95 of subtitle H of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

9013.

Termination

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply with respect to any Presidential election (or any Presidential nominating convention) after the date of the enactment of this section, or to any candidate in such an election.

.

(B)

Transfer of remaining funds

Section 9006 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(d)

Transfer of funds remaining after termination

The Secretary shall transfer the amounts in the fund as of the date of the enactment of this subsection to the general fund of the Treasury, to be used only for reducing the deficit.

.

(2)

Termination of account

Chapter 96 of subtitle H of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

9043.

Termination

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any candidate with respect to any Presidential election after the date of the enactment of this section.

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(c)

Clerical amendments

(1)

The table of sections for chapter 95 of subtitle H of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

Sec. 9013. Termination.

.

(2)

The table of sections for chapter 96 of subtitle H of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

Sec. 9043. Termination.

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