Direct mail allows campaigns and nonprofit organizations communicate straight to their contributors.  Direct Mail has always worked best when it is personal and targeted to the right audience.  And that is becoming more and more important than ever.

We are seeing more and more variety in direct mail.  Some might use an eye catching Mandarin Colored 9×12 Carrier Envelope, or a 6×10 with message related art work and a teaser message, or even clear polybag mailer.

We are also seeing more emphasis on contributor retention with info mailings, small appreciation tokens, and newsletters.

Supreme Court Justices ruled 5-4 today in a decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, which places limits on the total amount of money donors can give to all candidates, committees and political parties as unconstitutional. The decision leaves in place the $2,600 base limit on what can be given to each individual campaign. The decision was a victory for the Republican National Committee, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, and Alabama businessman Shaun McCutcheon, who challenged the $123,200 cap on contributions an individual can give to all federal candidates, parties and political action committees in a two-year election cycle.

McCutcheon’s challenge did not extend to the $2,600 limit, the amount a donor can give to a federal candidate in each primary and general election or the $32,400 limit that can be contributed to a national party committee. Those limits, which guard against corruption, are at the root of the federal law.

Campaigns who had long been told by high net worth individuals that they have reached their over all giving limit and cannot contribute to their campaign, will no longer hear that objection.

For those candidates who have relationships with these wealthy donors, they could see an up-tick in the amount of dollars given to their campaigns.

The limits on campaign contributions had stood for nearly 40 years. The high court drew a distinction between those contributions, which it said could lead to corruption, and money spent independently in its landmark 1976 Buckley v. Valeo ruling. Independent spending was expanded in the Citizens United case to include unlimited spending by corporations and labor unions.

Chief Justice Roberts said “The government may no more restrict how many candidates or causes a donor may support than it may tell a newspaper how many candidates it may endorse.”

We thank Adrian Robledo, the manager of our lasering department for Direct Mail Marketing Group. He celebrates his 15th year with us and was here when we had only one printer and a sealing machine. Today we compare Adrian to the leader of an orchestra as he and his staff orchestrate lasering work on 25 separate lasering machines daily to personalize our mailings.

Congratulations to Cheryl Freauff our Senior Vice President. She celebrates over 20 years with MMA / DMMG. Cheryl has spent the last two decades working with dozens of members of congress as their fundraiser, treasurer and FEC compliance advisor. In addition she organizes the direct mail production for several nationally known non-profits . She’s known for her dependability and gets the job done right.

You can never hear the announcement below enough.  Those organizations that have forgotten to file or file late will find themselves in a difficult position with the Federal Election Commission.  The FEC requires that all Federal Campaign Committees and Political Action Committees file reports of all Receipts and Disbursements made in a certain period. The 1st Quarter 2014 reporting period ends on 3/31/2014. This report includes all receipts and disbursements for the period covering 1/1/2014-3/31/2014 with the final report due to the Federal Elections Commission on 4/15/2014.

Also, during an election year, Political Action Committees (PACs) that file quarterly may find it beneficial to file monthly. The benefit is monthly filers are not required to file pre-primary reports, including states holding special elections, to which the PAC has contributed funds.  The monthly report is due on the 20^th of the following month.  For example, March 2014 activities would be due on April 20, 2014. Committees who would like to change their filing status must do so in writing to the Federal Election Commission prior to reporting under the newly requested monthly filing status. PACs are only allowed to change their reporting status once per calendar year.