America Votes Action Fund is the 527 Super PAC affiliate of the left-of-center voter mobilization organization America Votes. It was established to conduct “exclusively electoral activity” as part of America Votes’ effort to build “a permanent advocacy and campaign infrastructure” to promote left-progressive causes. 1
America Votes Action Fund appears to have been founded in 2011, with the earliest donations to the fund made in June of 2011. 2 It spent $5.6 million in the 2012 election cycle but its spending has declined ever since, with totals of $2.5 million in 2016 and $2.2 million in 2018. 3
Unlike America Votes, the America Votes Action Fund is required by law to disclose its donors and expenditures. FEC reports reveal that it is funded by America Votes, labor unions, and a variety of left-wing organizations and individuals. 4
Donors
Between 2017 and 2018, America Votes Action Fund raised approximately $2.4 million, with over 19% of that ($463,000) coming from America Votes. The second largest contributor was the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which contributed a total of $435,000.
According to FEC disclosures, the top 20 donors to America Votes Action Fund between 2017 and 2018 are as follows. 5
| Contributor Name | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| America Votes | Organization | $463,000 |
| SEIU | Organization | $435,000 |
| Better Future For New Mexico | Organization | $194,006 |
| Women Vote! | PAC | $161,000 |
| State Victory Fund | Organization | $130,000 |
| United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Active Ballot Club | PAC | $127,500 |
| American Association for Justice PAC | PAC | $100,000 |
| Laufer, Marsha Z. | Individual | $100,000 |
| Uihlein, Lynde B. | Individual | $100,000 |
| American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees | Organization | $56,515 |
| ActBlue | PAC | $50,000 |
| Beck, Andrew | Individual | $50,000 |
| Florida Strong Action PAC | PAC | $50,000 |
| Giffords PAC | PAC | $50,000 |
| For Our Future | PAC | $42,453 |
| Huntington Reeves, William | Individual | $40,000 |
| Black Fork Strategies, LLC | Organization | $30,214 |
| Clark, Geoffrey | Individual | $27,000 |
| Sea PAC, State Employees Union | Organization | $26,050 |
| Planned Parenthood Votes Ohio | PAC | $21,000 |
Expenditures
A review of America Votes Action Fund’s independent expenditures from 2017 to 2018 reveals that it paid America Votes $369,621 for “staff time services” and “compliance services.”
It also spent $449,547 on mail, printing, and canvassing materials; $253,050 on research; and $232,842 for phone banking and texting services. The total paid for “phone banking services” included a payment of $13,745 to one of its donor unions, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. 6 It is unclear what phone banking services were provided by the union or why its participants were compensated.
| Recipient Name | Disbursement Description | Disbursement Amount |
|---|---|---|
| America Votes | Compliance Consulting Services | $5000 |
| America Votes | Compliance Services | $5000 |
| America Votes | Compliance Services | $5000 |
| America Votes | Compliance Services | $5000 |
| New Hampshire Youth Movement | Contribution | $2000 |
| Environment America | Contribution | $4000 |
| New Florida Vision Pac | Contribution | $20,000 |
| Family Friendly Pac | Contribution | $3,0000 |
| New Hampshire Leadership Committee | Contribution | $40,000 |
| Win Together, Llc | Contribution | $70,000 |
| Working Families Party | Contribution | $127,000 |
| Voter Circle | Data Consulting | $1000 |
| Matt Lackey Strategies Llc | Data Services | $7000 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $790.32 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $790.32 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $936.39 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $936.39 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $1054.53 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $1054.53 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $1786.62 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $1786.63 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $2010.57 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $2010.57 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $23,44.70 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $23,44.71 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $6315.75 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $6315.75 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $6315.76 |
| Mission Control, Inc. | Mail And Postage | $6315.76 |
| Mach3Media, Inc. | Mailing & Postage Services | $715.21 |
| Mailforce, Inc. | Mailing & Postage Services | $1185.32 |
| Mach3Media, Inc. | Mailing & Postage Services | $1881.03 |
| Brushfire Phones | Non Federal Indepent Expenditure Phones Program | $42,872.48 |
| Stones Phones | Non-Federal Independent Expenditure - Phone Program | $18,278.80 |
| Campaign Communications Solutions | Non-Federal Independent Expenditure - Texting Program | $12,584 |
| Silversmith Strategies | Non-Federal Indpedent Expenditures - Digital Ads | $11,666.66 |
| Silversmith Strategies | Non-Federal Indpedent Expenditures - Website Services | $5,000 |
| Targetsmart Communications | Phone And Text Program | $11,0983.62 |
| American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Employees | Phone Banking Services | $450 |
| American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Employees | Phone Banking Services | $520 |
| American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Employees | Phone Banking Services | $700 |
| American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Employees | Phone Banking Services | $1,025 |
| American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Employees | Phone Banking Services | $11,050 |
| Stones Phones | Phone Program | $44,406.54 |
| Brushfire Phones | Phone Program | $50,500 |
| Campaign Communications Solutions | Phones And Texting Program | $13,207.25 |
| Schauer, Mark | Political Consulting Services | $4,000 |
| Schauer, Mark | Political Consulting Services | $4,000 |
| The Collective Super Pac | Political Contribution | $500 |
| Legislative Majority Pac | Political Contribution | $1,000 |
| Jm2 | Print Canvass Materials | $13,300 |
| Jm2 | Print Canvass Materials | $35,840 |
| Jm2 | Print Canvass Materials | $35,840 |
| The Pivot Group | Printing | $1,300 |
| Bouchard Gold | Printing | $57,418.10 |
| Bouchard Gold | Printing & Mailing | $125416.72 |
| Keystone Press | Printing & Mailing Services | $105.20 |
| Keystone Press | Printing & Mailing Services | $113.83 |
| Keystone Press | Printing & Mailing Services | $114.83 |
| Keystone Press | Printing & Mailing Services | $115.06 |
| Keystone Press | Printing & Mailing Services | $2,567.54 |
| Keystone Press | Printing & Mailing Services | $2,714.78 |
| Keystone Press | Printing & Mailing Services | $4850 |
| Bouchard Gold | Printing And Mail | $64608.62 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $147.29 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $152.16 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $165.06 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $278.66 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $373.96 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $377.93 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $867.77 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $943.19 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $1,157.38 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $1,283.46 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $1,358.53 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $1,635.05 |
| The Pivot Group | Printing Canvass Materials | $2,000 |
| The Pivot Group | Printing Canvass Materials | $2,200 |
| The Pivot Group | Printing Canvass Materials | $2,200 |
| Keystone Press | Printing Canvass Materials | $5,411.98 |
| Jm2 | Printing Canvass Materials | $15,120 |
| Jm2 | Printing Canvass Materials | $22,680 |
| Doyle, Bobby | Reimbursement | $798.28 |
| American Bridge 21St Century | Research | $2,500 |
| The Atlas Project, Inc. | Research | $4,000 |
| Granite State Progress | Research | $5,236.88 |
| Granite State Progress | Research | $6,458.96 |
| Granite State Progress | Research | $6,544.71 |
| American Bridge 21St Century | Research | $7,500 |
| Battleground Research, Inc. | Research | $7,722 |
| Bendixen & Amandi Int'L Inc | Research | $10,000 |
| Battleground Research, Inc. | Research | $10,688 |
| Change Research | Research | $14,800 |
| The Majority Institute Llc | Research | $18,757.50 |
| The Majority Institute Llc | Research | $133,660 |
| Battleground Research, Inc. | Research Consulting Services | $18,175 |
| Battleground Research, Inc. | Research Services | $7,007.14 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $968.49 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $1,248.16 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $1,427.55 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $1,750 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $9,652.78 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $10,799.39 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $17,294.83 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $20,423.05 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $26,957.20 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $27,213.31 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Service | $32,640.45 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $3,396.30 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $4,090.50 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $8,728.79 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $10,188.90 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $19,794.48 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $29,096.58 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $32,403.64 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $41,824.06 |
| America Votes | Staff Time Services | $49,723.15 |
| Blueprint | Web Development Services | $2,250 |
| Ballot Ready Inc | Web Services | $333.34 |
| Ballot Ready Inc | Web Services | $583.34 |
| Ballot Ready Inc | Web Services | $1,000.04 |
| Ballot Ready Inc | Web Services | $1,416.64 |
| Ballot Ready Inc | Website Services | $333.34 |
| Ballot Ready Inc | Website Services | $583.34 |
| Silversmith | Website Services | $5,000 |
| Keystone Press | $2,752.29 | |
| For Our Future | $10,4000 |
As required by law, America Votes Action Fund’s expenditures supporting or opposing particular candidates are disclosed in FEC filings. The chart below shows the ten candidates who received the most support or opposition throughout 2017 and 2018. 7
| Amount | Support/Oppose | Candidate |
|---|---|---|
| $157,981.08 | Support | Bill Nelson |
| $64,608.62 | Oppose | Rick Scott |
| $13,341.69 | Support | Chris Pappas |
| $12,631.50 | Support | Jacky Rosen |
| $10,275.20 | Support | Scott Wallace |
| $10,275.20 | Oppose | Scott Perry |
| $10,275.20 | Oppose | Brian Fitzpatrick |
| $10,275.20 | Support | George Scott |
| $10,275.19 | Support | Ronald Dinicola |
| $10,275.19 | Oppose | George Kelly, Jr. |
Throughout 2017 and 2018, America Votes Action Fund also made contributions to the following left-leaning PACs and organizations. 8
| Recipient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Working Families Party | $127,000 |
| Win Together, LLC | $70,000 |
| New Hampshire Leadership Committee | $40,000 |
| Family Friendly PAC | $30,000 |
| New Florida Vision PAC | $20,000 |
| Environment America | $4,000 |
| New Hampshire Youth Movement | $2,000 |
| Legislative Majority PAC | $1,000 |
| The Collective Super PAC | $500 |
References
- Beckel, Michael. “Who’s Bankrolling Secretive Liberal Group America Votes?” Public Integrity. May 21, 2014. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://publicintegrity.org/federal-politics/whos-bankrolling-secretive-liberal-group-america-votes/
- “America Votes Action Fund – Raising – 2011-2012 – Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00492520/?tab=raising&cycle=2012
- “Summary for America Votes Action Fund.” Open Secrets. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?cycle=2012&strID=C00492520
- “America Votes Action Fund – Raising – 2017-2018 – Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00492520/?tab=raising&cycle=2012
- “America Votes Action Fund – Raising – 2017-2018 – Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00492520/?tab=raising&cycle=2018
- “America Votes Action Fund – Spending – 2017-2018 – Disbursements.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00492520/?tab=spending&cycle=2018
- “America Votes Action Fund – Spending – 2017-2018 – Individual Expenditures.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00492520/?tab=spending&cycle=2018
- “America Votes Action Fund – Spending – 2017-2018 – Disbursements.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 30, 2019. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00492520/?tab=spending&cycle=2018