This Letter describes a study of the absorption and electroabsorption spectroscopy of a complex consisting of the -Re-1(CO)(3)Cl chromophore coordinated to the 4,4'-{bis-[2,5-(dimethoxyphenyl)ethynyl]}-2,2'-bipyridine ligand. The objective of the study is to explore whether Re --> bipyridine metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excitation leads to electron delocalization into the pi -conjugated 2.5-(dimethoxyphenyl)ethynylene moieties. The results indicate that the two low-energy absorption bands observed for the complex have a strong degree of charge transfer character: however, the bands are dominated by intraligand (IL) pi,pi* transitions. The spectroscopic data are consistent with possible configuration mixing between the lowest IL pi, pi* and MLCT transitions.