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Ballotpedia
National
Kalyn Stralow

Facebook was paid $101,978 from Wisconsin campaign accounts; other states reported millions

In Wisconsin, state-level candidates and PACs have spent $101,978 from their campaign accounts on services from Facebook in the 2022 election cycle so far. Facebook received 0.29 percent of all reported expenditures. 

According to reports filed with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission between Jan. 1, 2021, and Mar. 21, 2022, here are the top candidates and PACs that have spent campaign funds with Facebook.

Top 10 Wisconsin campaigns spending money with Facebook

Of the $101,978 spent with Facebook, 87.47 percent came from these 10 campaign accounts.

Top Campaign Expenditures with Facebook (1/1/2021 – 3/21/2022)

Rank Total Paid to Facebook Name Account Type
1. $37,500.00 Demand Justice PAC Non-candidate PAC
2. $18,500.00 Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Political Fund Non-candidate PAC
3. $12,485.95 Jonathan Wichmann Candidate PAC
4. $8,506.52 Waukesha County Democratic Party Non-candidate PAC
5. $2,482.93 Karl Jaeger Candidate PAC
6. $2,360.42 Francesca Hong Candidate PAC
7. $2,153.57 David Varnam Candidate PAC
8. $1,869.89 Wisconsin Conservation Voters Independent Expenditure Committee Non-candidate PAC
9. $1,736.77 Mark Scheffler Candidate PAC
10. $1,600.00 Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance Inc Non-candidate PAC

Campaign expenditures with Facebook in 12 states

Here is how spending with Facebook in Wisconsin compares to 12 other states with data available from Transparency USA for the most recent election cycle:

Comparison of total campaign finance expenditures with Facebook, by state

Rank State Total Paid to Facebook Reporting Period
1 California $5,290,745 1/1/2021- 4/23/2022
2 Virginia $4,486,863 1/1/2020-12/31/2021*
3 Texas $2,675,276 1/1/2021 – 5/14/2022
4 Michigan $194,180 1/1/2021 – 4/20/2022
5 Minnesota $166,072 1/1/2021 – 3/31/2022
6 Arizona 123,154 1/1/2021 – 3/31/2022
7 Pennsylvania $106,513 1/1/2021 – 3/9/2022
8 Wisconsin $101,978 1/1/2021 – 3/21/2022
9 North Carolina $78,960 1/1/2021 – 4/30/2022
10 Florida $38,542 1/1/2021 – 3/31/202
11 Indiana $29,534 1/1/2021 – 4/8/2022
12 Ohio $19,924 1/1/2021 – 4/13/2022
*Virginia’s two-year election cycles end in an odd-numbered year. The first available reports for Virginia’s 2023 election cycle are due Jul. 17, 2022.

While spending varies widely between states, no state on Transparency USA has reported more than 1.06 percent of total campaign expenditures on services from Facebook in the most recent cycle.

The data above are based on campaign finance reports that active Wisconsin PACs submitted to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Transparency USA publishes campaign finance data following major reporting deadlines. State or federal law may require filers to submit additional reports.

Report Name Report Due Date
2022 Jan Semiannual 1/18/2022
2022 Spring Pre-Primary 2/7/2022
2022 Spring Pre-Election 3/28/2022
2022 Jul Semiannual 7/15/2022
2022 Fall Pre-Primary 8/1/2022
2022 Sept Data 9/27/2022
2022 Fall Pre-General 10/31/2022
2023 Jan Semiannual 1/7/2023

This article is a joint publication from Ballotpedia and Transparency USA, who are working together to provide campaign finance information for state-level elections. Learn more about our work here.

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