The 2004 Democratic convention will be held in Boston, MA, from July 26-29, 2004. Republicans will hold their convention from Aug. 30 - Sept. 2, 2004, in New York, NY.
Under federal election law, all eligible national committees of major and minor parties are allowed to receive public funds to pay the official costs of their presidential nominating conventions. Each major party is currently entitled to receive $4 million plus an adjustment for inflation since 1974. In past election years, payments for major party nominating conventions have been:
1976 - $2,182,000
1980 - $4,416,000
1984 - $8,080,000
1988 - $9,220,000
1992 - $11,048,000
1996 - $12,364,000
2000 - $13,512,000
Initial payments to the parties are made by the U.S. Treasury on or after July 1 of the year preceding the presidential election. Payments for an additional cost-of-living adjustment will be made in 2004. In exchange for public funding of the conventions, party committees agree to certain requirements, including spending limits, the filing of periodic disclosure reports, and detailed audits.
The public funding portion of presidential elections is financed by the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which receives funds through dollars voluntarily "checked off" by taxpayers on federal income tax forms.
