Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§597 Expenditures to influence voting

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 29— - ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES › § 597

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Making, offering, asking for, or taking money or other benefits to influence someone's vote or to get them not to vote is illegal; punishment is a fine or up to 1 year in jail, or up to 2 years if done on purpose.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §597

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever makes or offers to make an expenditure to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate; and Whoever solicits, accepts, or receives any such expenditure in consideration of his vote or the withholding of his vote— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on section 250, 252, of title 2, U.S.C., 1940 ed., The Congress (Feb. 28, 1925, ch. 368, title III, §§ 311, 314, 43 Stat. 1073, 1074). This section consolidates the provisions of section 250 and 252 of title 2, U.S.C., 1940 ed., The Congress. Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of “principal” in section 2 of this title. The punishment provisions of section 252 of title 2, U.S.C., 1940 ed., The Congress, were incorporated at end of section upon authority of reference in such section making them applicable to this section. Words “or both” were added to conform to the almost universal formula of the punishment provisions of this title. Changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “shall be fined under this title” for “shall be fined not more than $10,000” in last par. 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “shall be fined under this title” for “shall be fined not more than $1,000” in last par.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 597

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73