What is a PAC and what is RPAC?

PACs have been around since 1944, when the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) formed the first one to raise money for the re-election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a popular term for a political committee organized by like-minded people for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. The PAC’s money must come from voluntary investments from members rather than the member’s dues treasury. PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests. PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general, run-off or special). They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC. PACs may receive up to $5,000 from any one individual. With the goal to establish the real estate community as a concerned, involved, and powerful political constituency, RPAC is the REALTORS® Political Action Committee. Raised through voluntary investments of PRO members, RPAC funds are used for member education and political campaigns at the federal, state and local levels.

Who may be solicited for RPAC contributions?

According to federal election law, RPAC can solicit only individual members — i.e., non-corporate members of NAR and their families. The term “members” means all individuals who currently satisfy the requirements for membership in any one of the local, state, and/or the National Association and regularly pay dues. Executive, administrative and management personnel of the local, state and/or national associations are also considered under the NAR constitution to be members of the association and may be solicited even though they may not pay association dues.