Rural Electric Political Action Committee – REPAC

The Rural Electric Political Action Committee (REPAC) is a state political action committee funded by voluntary contributions from co-op directors, employees and consumers.

The funds are contributed to Minnesota State House and Senate candidates seeking public office. Contributions assist campaigns of Minnesota state legislators who protect electric co-ops’ interests and acquaint metropolitan legislators with the vitality of electric cooperatives. The REPAC contribution cycle runs from January 1st to December 31st.

REPAC Facts

• Legislative affairs on the state level is an important program for electric co-ops, especially now that the state legislature is considering electric power needs, emissions, affordability, reliability and other important changes.

• REPAC is one way for the individual electric co-op supporter to participate as a group member in the state legislative and electoral processes.  We need to join together to make our voice the strongest on electric utility issues.

• REPAC serves as a safeguard against the undue influence of competing organizations.

• Electric industry issues cross political party lines. REPAC does not play political party favorites; contributions are made in rough proportion to the number of party members in the legislature.

• To win on electric industry issues, we must have broad-based legislative support.  Because we need support from both parties and from all areas of the state, rural and metro, REPAC operates on a statewide basis with all state legislators.  REPAC supports your local legislators and those legislators who have no electric co-ops in their district.

• REPAC is a small political action committee, which uses contributions to state legislators as a way to say “thank you” for past support and to help keep doors open.  During the debate on electric industry changes, we will need many doors wide open.

• The size of REPAC prevents it from exerting undue influence on the legislative or electoral process. But its growing size does inform legislators that there is an increasingly high level of interest by our membership in their legislative activities, especially issues on electric industry reliability and other changes.

• The fee to belong to REPAC was $20 when REPAC began in 1981. After 25 years, the fee was increased to $25 in 2006. Your $25 today is equivalent to about $10.40 in 1981. If REPAC fees had kept pace with inflation, the fee today would be over $60.

• Only a very small percentage of the fund is used for MREA administrative staff expenses. Unlike many big PACs, your money for REPAC is used for its intended purpose, not to pay someone’s salary or for entertainment.

• REPAC is held accountable not only by its members, but also by the regulations of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.

For more information, please contact Communications at 763-424-7232.