Below are key terms that are used in our Get-Out-the-Vote resources for AGC member companies.

Express advocacy: Express advocacy urges the election or defeat (i.e. “vote for,” “defeat” or “support”) of one or more clearly identified candidate(s). A candidate is “clearly identified” if the candidate’s name, nickname, photograph or drawing appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent.

Federal Election Commission (FEC): In 1975, Congress created the FEC to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) - the statute that governs the financing of federal elections. The duties of the FEC, which is an independent regulatory agency, are to disclose campaign finance information, to enforce the provisions of the law such as the limits and prohibitions on contributions, and to oversee the public funding of Presidential elections.

Member company: A member company is one that is actively paying dues to an AGC chapter. Former members or prospective companies are excluded from this definition.

Partisan communication: A partisan communication contains express advocacy. Such communications can take the form of emails, letters, phone banks and candidate appearances. 

Restricted class: The restricted class of a corporation consists of the executive and administrative personnel, shareholders and their immediate family members (of adult age). The executive and administrative personnel are defined as employees who are paid on a salary rather than an hourly basis and have policy-making, managerial, professional or supervisory responsibilities. First-line, salaried supervisors who perform essentially the same duties as the hourly employees they supervise are not included. Members of the restricted class must be U.S. citizens or hold a green card.