A Political Action Committee, or PAC, is an entity established and administered by a corporation, labor union, membership organization or trade association to provide financial support for candidates for elective office. Companies are barred from providing any direct political support to candidates for political office at the federal level and in many states. Instead, the Federal Election Commission has provided a voluntary mechanism—PACs—to provide individuals who have a common interest with a powerful way to leverage their financial contributions to candidates.

Direct Voice PAC, is the Political Action Committee of the Direct Marketing Association and the marketing industry’s preeminent Political Action Committee.  Funded through voluntary contributions from eligible member company employees, its sole purpose is to elect candidates to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate who support policies and legislation that advances and protects responsible data-driven marketing.

This is why it is imperative that we have a strong voice in the many public policy arenas that affect our industry. A very important component of our federal affairs program is having a strong PAC. Organizations such as DMA are far more effective in protecting its members’ interests when DMA can help build relationships and elect pro-business candidates that understand our industry and support responsible marketing polices.  

As a trade association, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) requires member companies to grant DMA permission to solicit certain employees (principals, managers and other salaried, exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act) about Direct Voice PAC and the role it plays in advancing and protecting responsible data-driven marketing in Washington. It does not obligate your company or employees to support or contribute to Direct Voice PAC. FEC regulations state that a company may only authorize one trade association PAC to solicit its executives per calendar year).

Our industry’s success depends on a variety of factors. In addition to ethical and responsible marketing, among other factors, the regulatory environment in which we are allowed to operate has a large impact on our success. By investing in Direct Voice PAC, you are investing in strengthening our prospects for success in the political and regulatory environment and in your own success as a member company employee. Direct Voice PAC also provides a means of becoming more politically involved and informed. As participants, we raise our collective voices on the business issues that impact us directly. 

DMA’s political advocacy is conducted by a team of government affairs professionals who represent the industry in Washington and state capitals across the nation. The federal government, as well as most states, requires the engagement of PACs as a means of regulating and monitoring political fundraising and candidate contributions. Direct Voice PAC also gives us the ability to greatly leverage contributions from individuals. By combining our resources, the PAC is able to support dozens of candidates who play a key role in developing the policies that shape our industry. PAC contributions are leveraged even further because we often join with other like-minded companies to support candidates through industry events that include other marketing and advertising PACs. 

Our PAC supports candidates who best represent the industry’s business interests of advancing and protecting responsible data-driven marketing. Candidates are evaluated on a variety of factors, including: whether the candidates’ districts are located near our members’ business operations; policy positions and voting record on business issues relevant to our industry; membership on relevant policy committees; positions of leadership held and the candidate’s prospects for being elected.

Candidates’ positions on issues that are unrelated to the industry’s business interests are not considered part of the candidate evaluation process. 

No. Contributions to Political Action Committees are not tax deductible.