Jonah Patel
ActBlue is an American Democratic Party political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform founded in 2004. It is a major part of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure, and it focuses on mobilizing small-dollar donors. As of June 2024, ActBlue had raised $13.7 billion for Democratic candidates and causes. It is considered a hybrid PAC/super PAC, and it serves as a conduit for processing individual contributions made through the platform. ActBlue's entrance into the world of unlimited contributions in 2011 was a strategic move to counter Republican organizations, which had been taking advantage of more relaxed campaign finance rules.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Organization | ActBlue is an American Democratic Party political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform. |
| Year Founded | 2004 |
| Founders | Benjamin Rahn and Matt DeBergalis |
| Purpose | To raise funds for Democratic candidates and causes |
| Type of Donors | Small-dollar donors |
| Amount Raised | $13.7 billion as of June 2024 |
| Super PAC Status | ActBlue is considered a hybrid PAC/super PAC and accepts unlimited contributions. |
| Reporting | ActBlue reports donor information and amounts to the Federal Election Commission. |
| Notable Users | Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez |
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What You'll Learn
ActBlue is a hybrid PAC/super PAC
ActBlue is a political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform founded in 2004. It is a major part of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure and has raised $13.7 billion for Democratic candidates and causes since its establishment. ActBlue is a "Carey committee", a hybrid PAC/super PAC. It serves as a conduit for processing individual contributions made through the platform. These contributions are made by individuals and are not considered PAC donations under federal law.
In 2011, ActBlue expanded its fundraising efforts to include super PACs, allowing for unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, and other groups. This move was a response to the more relaxed campaign finance rules introduced by the Supreme Court in 2010, which lifted restrictions on the amount of money that corporations and unions could spend on political campaigns. While ActBlue accepts donations to super PACs, it also continues to take donations to regular PACs and campaign committees.
ActBlue has been used by prominent Democratic figures such as Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders, who notably eschewed money from super PACs in favour of grassroots fundraising. ActBlue has broken several fundraising records, including raising $19 million in the week following George Floyd's murder and $70 million the day after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
ActBlue's role as a hybrid PAC/super PAC is significant as it allows the organisation to accept a wider range of contributions and provide financial support to various Democratic campaigns and causes. As of May 2024, ActBlue had raised over $1.1 billion in the 2024 election cycle, making it the largest single fundraiser among PACs.
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ActBlue's fundraising efforts
ActBlue is a political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform founded in 2004. It is a major part of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure, connecting small-dollar donors to Democratic candidates and causes across the country. ActBlue is focused on mobilizing small-dollar donors, and as of June 2024, it had raised $13.7 billion for Democratic candidates and causes since its establishment.
ActBlue is organized as a PAC but serves as a conduit for processing individual contributions made through its platform. These contributions are made by individuals and are not considered PAC donations under federal law. ActBlue reports the donors' names and amounts for all contributions processed to federal campaigns to the Federal Election Commission, regardless of the amount. This information is publicly available and can be found listed on the Internet.
In addition to political fundraising, ActBlue's affiliate organization, ActBlue Charities, serves as a fundraising platform for US non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, while ActBlue Civics does the same for 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations.
ActBlue has been successful in its fundraising efforts, with notable examples including:
- In the week following the murder of George Floyd, over $19 million was raised, the highest single-day total in 2020 up to that point.
- On June 1, 2020, a new yearly record was set with $20 million in donations.
- Over half of all donations in the following week went to charitable causes, including a bail fund that raised over $1.5 million from over 20,000 donors.
- In the day following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, over $70 million was donated through ActBlue, breaking the single-day fundraising record once more.
- In the first 24 hours of Kamala Harris's presidential campaign, small-dollar and many first-time donors raised $81 million through ActBlue, the biggest 24-hour period ever on the platform.
- ActBlue raised $19 million in its first three years, from 2004 to 2007.
- In the 2005-2006 campaign, the site raised $17 million for 1500 Democratic candidates, with $15.5 million going to congressional campaigns.
- ActBlue has been the highest fundraising PAC in every election since 2014.
- In the 2024 election cycle, ActBlue had raised more than $1.1 billion as of May 2024, making it the largest single fundraiser.
In 2011, ActBlue began accepting unlimited contributions and directing mega-donations to super PACs. This move was a response to the more aggressive fundraising tactics of Republican organizations following the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling, which lifted a ban on corporations, labor organizations, and other outside groups spending money on political advertisements for certain candidates. ActBlue's communications director, Adrian Arroyo, acknowledged that super PACs were "for better or worse, part of the campaign finance landscape," and that they wanted to give donors the choice to support them.
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ActBlue's donors and donations
ActBlue is a political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform for the American Democratic Party. It was founded in 2004 by Benjamin Rahn and Matt DeBergalis. ActBlue is a major part of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure, with a focus on mobilizing small-dollar donors. As of June 2024, the platform has raised $13.7 billion for Democratic candidates and causes. ActBlue is a conduit for processing individual contributions, which are made by individuals and are not considered PAC donations under federal law.
ActBlue reports donor names and amounts for all contributions to federal campaigns to the Federal Election Commission, regardless of the amount. This information is publicly available and can be searched using various identifiers, such as the donor's name, email address, or ActBlue order number. The platform also provides tools for donors to verify their contributions, issue refunds, or cancel recurring donations.
ActBlue has been used by several Democratic presidential nominees, including Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders. Sanders' use of ActBlue was notable as he chose to fundraise through grassroots efforts instead of accepting money from super PACs. In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, all candidates utilized the ActBlue platform.
ActBlue also has affiliate organizations, ActBlue Charities, and ActBlue Civics, which serve as fundraising platforms for non-profit and social welfare organizations, respectively. In addition to political fundraising, ActBlue has facilitated charitable donations to causes such as a bail fund following the murder of George Floyd, which raised over $1.5 million from over 20,000 donors.
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ActBlue's role in the Democratic Party
ActBlue is an American Democratic Party political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform founded in 2004. It is a major part of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure and has raised $13.7 billion for Democratic candidates and causes since its inception. ActBlue focuses on mobilizing small-dollar donors, and it serves as a conduit for processing individual contributions made through its platform. These contributions are made by individuals and are not considered PAC donations under federal law.
ActBlue has played a significant role in recent Democratic Party election campaigns. Both the 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, used ActBlue during their primary and general election campaigns. Bernie Sanders' 2016 and 2020 primary campaigns also utilized ActBlue for fundraising, marking a notable shift away from super PAC money towards grassroots fundraising. This strategy was later emulated by other Democratic figures, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, all the candidates used ActBlue, highlighting its importance within the party.
In terms of its influence on the Democratic Party's financial landscape, ActBlue has been a significant player. As of May 2024, ActBlue had raised more than $1.1 billion in the 2024 election cycle, making it the largest single fundraiser and the highest fundraising PAC in every election since 2014. ActBlue's success has prompted Democratic groups to embrace super PAC fundraising to counter the financial advantage of Republican organizations following the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that loosened campaign finance rules. This shift towards super PACs allows ActBlue to accept unlimited contributions and direct them towards Democratic super PACs, further enhancing its role in shaping the Democratic Party's financial strategy.
ActBlue's transparency in reporting donor information and its ability to connect small donors to Democratic candidates and causes across the country have made it an indispensable tool for the Democratic Party's fundraising efforts. Its role in channeling funds to various campaigns and organizations has solidified its position as a key financial arm of the Democratic Party.
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ActBlue's relationship with candidates and committees
ActBlue is an American Democratic Party political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform. It is a major part of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure, focusing on mobilizing small-dollar donors. ActBlue does not endorse individual candidates, and its platform is open to Democratic and progressive campaigns, candidates, committees, and 501(c)4 organizations. 501(c)3 organizations can use the platform through ActBlue Charities.
ActBlue has been used by several Democratic presidential nominees and candidates in their primary and general election campaigns. For example, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden used ActBlue during their 2016 and 2020 campaigns. Bernie Sanders' 2016 and 2020 primary campaigns also used ActBlue for fundraising, marking a shift away from super PAC money towards grassroots fundraising. This strategy was later replicated by other Democratic figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
ActBlue serves as a conduit for processing individual contributions made through its platform. Under federal law, these contributions are made by individuals and are not considered PAC donations. ActBlue reports the donors' names and amounts for all contributions processed to federal campaigns to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), regardless of the amount. This information is publicly available and listed on the Internet. When a candidate for federal election raises money through an intermediary like ActBlue, the intermediary serves as a conduit for election law purposes.
ActBlue has broken several fundraising records. For instance, in the 24 hours following the launch of Kamala Harris's presidential campaign, small-dollar and first-time donors raised $81 million through ActBlue, the biggest 24-hour period on the platform. In the week following George Floyd's murder, over $19 million was raised, with another record-breaking $20 million in donations the next day. In 2018, Democratic candidates raised $1.6 billion through ActBlue's platform, and in 2019, ActBlue raised roughly $1 billion for Democratic campaigns.
ActBlue has faced some controversies, including allegations of donor fraud in 2024 by Republican public officials in several states. ActBlue denied these claims, calling them "partisan political attacks." There have also been concerns about the verification of donors' credit card information.
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Frequently asked questions
ActBlue is a hybrid PAC/super PAC. It is a political action committee and fundraising platform for the American Democratic Party.
A super PAC is a type of political action committee that can accept unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, and other groups. Super PACs cannot contribute directly to candidates but can spend money on political advertisements and other election-influencing activities.
ActBlue is a major part of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure. It connects small donors to Democratic candidates and causes across the country. ActBlue has been the highest fundraising PAC in every election since 2014.
