On April 1, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its audit of federal lobbying compliance for 2023.

For the audit, the GAO reviewed a random sample of 98 quarterly disclosure reports filed for the third and fourth quarters of calendar year 2022 and the first and second quarters of calendar year 2023.

They also reviewed random samples of 160 LD-203 reports for the year-end 2022 and midyear 2023 reports.

Among its findings, the GAO concluded 97% of filers of lobbying disclosure reports were able to provide documentation to support reported income and expenses, 7% of LD-203 reports were missing reportable contributions, and 94% of lobbyists who filed new registrations also filed LD-2 reports as required for the quarter in which they first registered.

The audit estimates at least 23% of all lobbying disclosure reports did not properly disclose formerly held covered positions.

The 56-page report is titled “2023 Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Compliance with Requirements.”

On April 1, 2024, Elections Canada published the updated limits on expenses for regulated activities of third parties involved in federal elections in Canada.

The Canada Elections Act imposes a limit on expenses a third party can incur for regulated political activities.

For the period of April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, a third party is prohibited from incurring overall election advertising expenses of a total amount of more than $602,700 during a general election.

The previous limit was $579,950.

For the same period of April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, a third party is prohibited from incurring election advertising expenses in a given electoral district of a total amount of more than $5,166 during a general election.

The previous limit was $4,971.

Adjustments are made annually based on a formula of a base amount multiplied by the inflation adjustment factor in effect for the period.

On April 15, 2024, a by-election will be held for the seat in Newfoundland and Labrador’s House of Assembly for the District of Fogo Island-Cape Freels.

Travis Wooley, Acting Chief Electoral Officer of Newfoundland and Labrador, issued the election writ on March 17.

The seat had become vacant on January 22 after the death of Derrick Bragg, who had served most recently as the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

On January 29, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) published its price index adjustments for expenditure limitations and the federal lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.

The lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold has increased for 2024 from $21,800 to $22,700.

This threshold amount is adjusted annually.

Federal law requires authorized committees of federal candidates, leadership political action committees (PACs), and political party committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists and lobbyists’ PACs.

Additionally, the FEC published its adjusted Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for political parties for 2024.

On March 4, a federal by-election will be held in the electoral district of Durham (Ontario) to fill a vacancy in the House of Commons.

On August 3, 2023, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that Member of Parliament Erin O’Toole’s seat was vacant.

O’Toole had resigned from the seat after being removed as leader of the Conservative Party earlier in 2023.

The date for the election was not announced until January 28, which signaled the start of the by-election period.

Sometime before July 14, 2024, a by-election will be announced for the seat in the House of Commons representing Toronto–St. Paul’s in the province of Ontario.

On January 17, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that the seat for Toronto—St. Paul’s (Ontario) became vacant following the resignation of Carolyn Ann Bennett.

Bennett officially resigned from her seat in the House of Commons on January 16, 2024, and was appointed on the same day as Canada’s Ambassador to Denmark.

Under the law, the by-election date must be announced between January 27 and July 14, 2024, and will signal the start of the by-election period.

According to Elections Canada, the earliest date the by-election can be held is March 4, 2024.

Campaign contribution limits have increased in Prince Edward Island, Canada, for 2024.

In a calendar year, a person individually may contribute $3,250 to each party.

A contribution to a registered candidate affiliated with a registered party is considered a contribution to the party.

An individual may choose to donate the maximum to each registered party and any independent candidates.

Individual contribution limits are subject to an annual increase of $50 every January 1.

The previous contribution limit from 2023 was $3,200.

Campaign contribution limits have increased in Ontario, Canada, for 2024.

In a calendar year, a person individually may contribute $3,375 to each party, to each constituency association and nominations contestants of a party, and to each leadership contestant of a party.

Additionally, in a campaign period, a person may contribute $3,375 to each candidate of a party, and to each independent non-party candidate.

The total contribution made with respect to a single fundraising event by a contributor may not exceed $3,375 multiplied by the indexation factor.

The previous contribution limits from 2023 were $3,350.

The Federal Election Commission has announced its civil monetary penalty amounts, adjusted for inflation, for 2024.

The potential fines for civil violations of federal campaign finance laws have increased to range from $7,256 to $84,852, from the previous range of $7,028 to $82,188.

The amounts are calculated through a statutory formula applying the most recent “cost-of-living adjustment multiplier,” issued by the Office of Management and Budget, to the current amounts.

The amended civil monetary penalties took effect as of January 5, 2024, the publication date in the Federal Register.

For 2024, the minimum wage required to be paid by US Federal Contractors under Executive Order 14026 increases to $17.20 an hour.

Starting on January 30, 2022, all federal agencies were required to incorporate a $15 minimum wage in new contract solicitations pursuant to an executive order signed by President Joseph R. Biden on April 27, 2021.

The order requires federal contractors to pay a minimum wage for employees working on or in connection with a federal government contract.

Beginning January 1, 2024, and for each subsequent year, tipped workers must now receive 100% of the wage received by non-tipped workers, currently $17.20 an hour, eliminating the difference between the type of workers.

This applies to tipped employees performing work on or in connection with contracts covered by Executive Order 14026.

Contractors and subcontractors must certify they meet this condition requiring the minimum wage.

This certification is a condition of payment to the contractors from the government.

The order does not apply to grants; contracts, contract-like instruments, or certain specific type of agreements with Indian Tribes.

If a state or municipality has a higher minimum wage, the Executive Order does not excuse noncompliance with the laws requiring the higher wage.

Elections Canada has published the Canadian federal contribution limits for the 2024 calendar year.

In 2024, individuals may contribute up to $1,725 to independent candidates, leadership candidates, registered parties, and to, in total, all of the registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of each registered party.

The limits also apply to any unpaid balance of loans made during a contribution period and the amount of any loan guarantees made during a contribution period.

The limits increase annually by $25 on January 1.

Campaign contribution limits increased in British Columbia, Canada, for 2024 to $1,450.82 for contributions to registered political parties, including their candidates, nomination contestants and registered constituency associations.

Additionally, individuals can also contribute up to $1,450.82 to independent candidates and leadership contestants, if a leadership contest is called in 2024.

The previous limit from 2023 was $1,401.40.

Also increased to $410 is the limit of a fee paid to attend a leadership convention or other convention of a political party without counting toward the $1,450.82 contribution limit.

These contribution amounts are adjusted at the start of each calendar year.

On March 1, 2024, the Federal Election Commission new rules eliminating and updating references to outdated technologies in federal campaign finance regulations are expected to come into effect.

The Final Rules and an Explanation and Justification for Technological Modernization, approved by the FEC at their last meeting in December, attempts to modernize the commission’s regulations in light of technological advances in communications, recordkeeping, and financial transactions.

A significant part of the rulemaking is amending the definition of “public communication” and adopting a new term, “internet public communication,” to include communications over the internet that are “placed or promoted for a fee on another person’s website, digital device, application, or advertising platform. A public communication is promoted for a fee where a payment is made to a website, digital device, application, or advertising platform in order to increase the circulation, prominence, or availability of the communication on that website, digital device, application, or advertising platform.”

The intent is to ensure that political committees properly disclose their paid internet communications and help to prevent the circumvention of disclaimer requirements.

The FEC also concluded that many of the current regulations do not account for technological developments in how electronic documents are created, maintained, and submitted, particularly in the context of electronic transactions. The rules make regulatory revisions to facilitate electronic accounting, recordkeeping, reporting, and redesignation by political committees.

The Final Rules will be published in the Federal Register at a future date.

On December 14, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) elected Sean J. Cooksey as its chairman for 2024.

Cooksey replaces Dara Lindenbaum, who was appointed to the commission in 2022.

The chairmanship is a rotating, one-year position.

Ellen L. Weintraub was elected as Vice Chair for the next year.

Additionally, at the same regularly held open meeting, the FEC unanimously approved 16 legislative recommendations be submitted for consideration to the U.S. Congress.

The recommendations concern subject matters such as establishing an itemization threshold for conduit contributions; increasing the rate of pay for FEC commissioners, staff director and general counsel; amending the foreign national prohibition to include substantial assistance; and amending the foreign national prohibition to include state and local ballot initiatives, referenda and recall elections.