Campaign Funding 101

It seems like a conversation about politics cannot be complete without discussing candidate funding nowadays, so here is what you need to know about different types of campaign funding to help you understand American politics better and make educated choices this election season.

The first type of funding is getting money through PACs, or Political Action Committees. Traditional PACs like the Realtors Political Action Committee are able to donate up to $5,000 per candidate per election. There are many legal limits on what can be donated directly to campaigns, but it is a great way to support local candidates who do not need massive amounts of funding.

Another type of PAC is the Super PAC. These PACs are not allowed to donate directly to a candidate or party, but they can spend unlimited money independently on activities that support a candidate. An example of this is AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee), which spends millions of dollars annually on ads for the candidates they support. These Super PACs can help a lot with the visibility and public image of the candidates receiving their support.

Secret spending or "dark money" groups have their purpose right in their name. These groups do not need to disclose their donors and often hold non-profit status. They donate their money to Super PACs and in recent times have contributed significantly more to them, leaving voters unaware of who is actually financing these elections. Since these secret spending groups spend so much on elections, it has raised questions about transparency in American elections and who exactly is willing to spend so much for a candidate to win.

The final ways to make campaigns financially successful are through fundraising and personal donations. Many candidates host events to raise money from wealthier donors, and they also have campaign volunteers call ordinary citizens to donate up to a maximum of $200.

With these various ways to raise money during the campaign process, questions remain about what money is ethically acceptable to use. It also raises questions about transparency and whether a candidate should be trusted depending on the type of funding they accept. With this blog post, I hope you are able to choose your election candidates wisely and with more knowledge than before this election season!