Idaho is among 36 other states and Washington, D.C., that allows the use of campaign funds for child care costs incurred while campaigning.
On Oct. 11, the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office replied to a written inquiry from Democratic legislative candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart asking for clarification on if she could use campaign funds to pay for child care expenses she has incurred throughout the campaign.
Carter-Goodheart’s inquiry is a part of a larger effort from the Vote Mama Foundation to ensure candidates know they can use campaign funds for child care costs incurred while campaigning.
“The codification of Campaign Funds for Childcare through legislation is Vote Mama Foundation’s ‘gold standard,’” Vote Mama’s website states. “In addition, we work with candidates to request (Campaign Funds for Childcare) allowances via Ethics Ruling requests and seek Secretary of State and/or Attorney General opinion requests.”
Carter-Goodheart has two young children, and had incurred 624 additional hours of child care directly due to campaign activities, including door knocking, meet and greets and other campaign events, she told the Idaho Capital Sun.
“It sends a clear message: all candidates, regardless of their caregiving responsibilities, should have an equal opportunity to run for office,” Carter-Goodheart said.
What does Idaho law say?
Candidates cannot use campaign money for personal use, meaning an expense that does not have to do with getting them elected into office.
For example, Idaho law says candidates cannot use funds to pay:
- A home mortgage, rent or utility payment
- A clothing purchase except for items used as campaign shirts or hats
- A non campaign- or non officeholder-related automobile expense
- A country club membership
- A vacation or other non campaign-related trip
- A tuition payment
- Admission to a sporting event, concert, theater or other form of entertainment not associated with an election campaign
Child care costs are permissible, so long as they are incurred in connection with the campaign, according to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office.
“The statute generally outlines what is and what is not permissible, but it is not exhaustive by any means,” Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane told the Idaho Capital Sun. “There’s lots of things that aren’t listed there, but it still follows the general principle of not converting it for personal use and that it’s directly related to advancing the campaign.”
Solving a barrier for parents interested in running for office
Carter-Goodhart has been involved with the Idaho Democratic Party since she was 19, but she never thought she would run until her two young children had grown, she told the Idaho Capital Sun. This year is now her second time running for office.
Carter-Goodheart said the ability to use campaign funds to assist during campaign season is essential as most of the campaign events take place in the evenings after work hours.
“Some of these events don’t finish until like 11:30 p.m.,” she said. “And if it’s in Potlatch, Deary, or Kamiah – it’s a very big district – so it’s usually on top of whatever time that the event ends then you have a 45 minute commute back home.”
Carter-Goodheart said this also helps solve a safety issue for her. Last month at a candidate forum in Kendrick, Carter-Goodheart said state Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola, yelled at her, and told her to go back to where she came from in response to her answer about whether discrimination exists in Idaho, Boise State Public Radio reported.
Carter-Goodheart’s children were at the forum, she told the Sun. While she wants her kids to learn about the democratic process and be well-informed about their community, she said the decision to bring her children to those events has changed moving forward.
“Especially with the racism that we’ve been encountering, our thoughts about bringing the kids to these events have changed because of that fear of something happening to them,” she said.
Her opponent, incumbent Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, said it “makes perfect sense” to allow campaign funds to assist a candidate with child care expenses while campaigning, so long as it is done properly.
“I never gave it any thought because my kids are grown,” McCann told the Sun.
Carter-Goodheart said even if she is not elected, she is proud that her campaign will provide more clarity on this issue moving forward for parents or caregivers who want to run for office.
Have campaign funds always been used for child care?
Within the last six years, 35 states and the District of Columbia have authorized the use of campaign funds for child care while campaigning. That’s largely because in 2018, the Federal Election Commission approved this use of campaign funds.
In 2018, Liuba Grechen Shirley ran for Congress to represent New York. As a young mother struggling to find child care, she successfully petitioned the Federal Election Commission. Since then, at least 68 other federal candidates, mothers and fathers from both parties, have used campaign funds to pay for child care costs incurred while campaigning, according to the press release from the Vote Mama Foundation.
Vote Mama Foundation Chief Program Officer Sarah Hague said in the news release that the cost of child care should never be a deterrent for caregivers aspiring to enter politics.
“Idaho has taken a significant step to level the playing field and ensure caregivers from all walks of life can run for office and help elected officials serve sustainably,” Hague said. “Vote Mama Foundation is fighting for a world in which the cost of child care never holds anyone back from making a meaningful difference and serving their communities. With the recent authorization of Campaign Funds for Childcare in Idaho, we are one step closer to living in that world.”
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