BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint wants to make grassroots political fundraising more transparent.
According to federal elections officials, in the first quarter of the year, two-thirds of the first five million donations were amounts under $20. However, some say donors’ identities being hidden can lead to deceptive campaigning.
The Small Dollar Donation Protection Act, sponsored by Congresswoman Becca Balint, would require federal campaigns to report all donations of fewer than 200 dollars.
Representative Balint says the aim is to bring transparency to voters on how campaigns are collecting on small-dollar donors.
“The problem is campaign finance regulations that do not include rules that govern small-dollar donor campaign finance disclosure, and some campaigns unfortunately have used deceptive tactics to inflate their small-dollar donor numbers,” said Balint.
The bill would also require federal elections officials to study and make recommendations to Congress.