Presidential candidates who accept public financing may spend no more than $552,400 each in Utah this year.
That's about half of what Rep. Wayne Owens, D-Utah, spent on his campaign in 1990, and less than a seventh of the $3.7 million that Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, spent in 1988.The Federal Election Commission calculates how much candidates who accept public financing can spend in each state based on its voting age population - but sets a minimum cap below which small states cannot fall.
California, which has the largest population among the states, has the largest limit: $9.8 million for each candidate.
The lowest allowed limit in any state is $552,400 - which Utah and 16 other small-population states have.
The FEC said qualifying presidential candidates taking public financing may spent $33.1 million in their pre-nomination efforts. Party nominees will be able to spend $55.24 million each in the general election.
Public financing receives its money from people who on their income tax forms check a box targeting $1 each for it.