                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
             CHAPTER 29--ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
 
Sec. 597. Expenditures to influence voting

    Whoever makes or offers to make an expenditure to any person, either 
to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate; 
and
    Whoever solicits, accepts, or receives any such expenditure in 
consideration of his vote or the withholding of his vote--
    Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one 
year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under 
this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 721; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII, 
Sec. 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104-294, 
title VI, Sec. 601(a)(12), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3498.)


                      Historical and Revision Notes

    Based on sections 250, 252, of title 2, U.S.C., 1940 ed., The 
Congress (Feb. 28, 1925, ch. 368, title III, Secs. 311, 314, 43 Stat. 
1073, 1074).
    This section consolidates the provisions of sections 250 and 252 of 
title 2, U.S.C., 1940 ed., The Congress.
    Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary 
in view of definition of ``principal'' in section 2 of this title.
    The punishment provisions of section 252 of title 2, U.S.C., 1940 
ed., The Congress, were incorporated at end of section upon authority of 
reference in such section making them applicable to this section.
    Words ``or both'' were added to conform to the almost universal 
formula of the punishment provisions of this title.
    Changes were made in phraseology.


                               Amendments

    1996--Pub. L. 104-294 substituted ``shall be fined under this 
title'' for ``shall be fined not more than $10,000'' in last par.
    1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``shall be fined under this 
title'' for ``shall be fined not more than $1,000'' in last par.
