Examining Public Opinion on Childcare as a Campaign Expense

• In Event: State Politics

Abstract

In the spring of 2018, the Federal Election Commission ruled that “campaign funds may be used to pay for a candidate’s childcare expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity” (FEC ruling AO 2018-6). Since then, 30 US states have followed this federal ruling through ethics rulings and campaign finance legislation. Opponents of childcare related campaign finance reforms have argued that childcare is not a legitimate campaign expense and that campaign funds should not be used for personal expenses. Proponents of the reforms, however, argue that childcare is not a personal expense, but rather an integral part of the campaign the way any other campaign resource would be. In this paper, using an original survey experiment, we gauge how Americans evaluate women candidates running for office using campaign funds on childcare. Respondents are randomly assigned to one of 3 experimental groups where we randomize the type of candidate expenses and amount of information provided about campaign finance regulations. We hypothesize that respondents will be more likely to consider childcare a valid campaign expense when exposed to additional information about campaign finance regulations. Our preliminary findings indicate that when respondents see candidates using campaign funds for childcare and are given information about campaign finance regulations, it normalizes campaign funds for childcare as a legitimate expense. The findings of this paper call for a wider discussion of campaign finance reform in the United States and how childcare accessibility can contribute to making political office more attainable for parents, and particularly mothers of young children.

Authors

• Maria Wilson, Rutgers University

• Burcu Kolcak, Rutgers University