§ 169.209Definitions; I to L

Sec. 9.
    (1) "Incidental expense" means an expenditure that is an ordinary and necessary expense,
 paid or incurred in carrying out the business of an elective office. Incidental expense includes,
 but is not limited to, any of the following:
    (a) A disbursement necessary to assist, serve, or communicate with a constituent.
    (b) A disbursement for equipment, furnishings, or supplies for the office of the public
 official.
    (c) A disbursement for a district office if the district office is not used for campaign-related
 activity.
    (d) A disbursement for the public official or his or her staff, or both, to attend a conference,
 meeting, reception, or other similar event.
    (e) A disbursement to maintain a publicly owned residence or a temporary residence at the
 seat of government.
    (f) An unreimbursed disbursement for travel, lodging, meals, or other expenses incurred by
 the public official, a member of the public official's immediate family, or a member of the
 public official's staff in carrying out the business of the elective office.
    (g) A donation to a tax-exempt charitable organization, including, but not limited to, the
 purchase of tickets to charitable or civic events, as long as the candidate is not an officer or
 director of or does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from that
 organization.
    (h) A disbursement to a ballot question committee.



                                                                      Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 9 of 2026
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    (i) A purchase of tickets for use by that public official and members of his or her immediate
 family and staff to a fund-raising event sponsored by a candidate committee, independent
 committee, political party committee, or a political committee that does not exceed $100.00
 per committee in any calendar year.
    (j) A disbursement for an educational course or seminar that maintains or improves skills
 employed by the public official in carrying out the business of the elective office.
    (k) A purchase of advertisements in testimonials, program books, souvenir books, or other
 publications if the advertisement does not support or oppose the nomination or election of a
 candidate.
    (l) A disbursement for consultation, research, polling, and photographic services not related
 to a campaign.
    (m) A fee paid to a fraternal, veteran, or other service organization.
    (n) A payment of a tax liability incurred as a result of authorized transactions by the
 candidate committee of the public official.
    (o) A fee for accounting, professional, or administrative services for the candidate
 committee of the public official.
    (p) A debt or obligation incurred by the candidate committee of a public official for a
 disbursement authorized by subdivisions (a) to (o), if the debt or obligation was reported in the
 candidate committee report filed for the year in which the debt or obligation arose.
    (2) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person if the expenditure is not
 made in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a ballot
 question committee or a candidate, a candidate committee or its agents, or a political party
 committee or its agents, and if the expenditure is not a contribution to a committee.
    (3) "Independent expenditure committee" means a committee formed under section 24b for
 the purpose of making independent expenditures under this act.
    (4) "In-kind contribution or expenditure" means a contribution or expenditure other than
 money.
    (5) "Loan" means a transfer of money, property, or anything of ascertainable monetary value
 in exchange for an obligation, conditional or not, to repay in whole or in part.
    (6) "Local ballot question" means a ballot question of a local unit of government to be voted
 upon in that local unit of government.
    (7) "Local elective office" means an elective office at the local unit of government level.
 Local elective office also includes judge of the court of appeals, judge of the circuit court,
 judge of the district court, judge of the probate court, and judge of a municipal court.
    (8) "Local unit of government" means a district, authority, county, city, village, township,
 board, school district, intermediate school district, or community college district.