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Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia
National
Kalyn Stralow

Facebook was paid $4.49 million from Virginia campaign accounts

In Virginia, state-level candidates and PACs spent $4.49 million from their campaign accounts on services from Facebook in the 2021 election cycle. Facebook received 1.06 percent of all reported expenditures. 

According to reports filed with the Virginia Department of Elections between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2021, here are the top candidates and PACs that spent campaign funds with Facebook.

Top 10 Virginia campaigns spending money with Facebook

Of the $4,486,863 spent with Facebook, 90.36 percent came from these 10 campaign accounts.

Top Campaign Expenditures with Facebook (1/1/2020 – 12/31/2021)

Rank Total Paid to Facebook Name Account Type
1. $3,736,097.89 Terry McAuliffe Candidate PAC
2. $100,473.28 Vote Yes Richmond Wins! Non-candidate PAC
3. $39,889.76 Vote Yes Portsmouth Non-candidate PAC
4. $31,106.28 Tim Anderson Candidate PAC
5. $30,445.30 Jennifer Kitchen Candidate PAC
6. $29,884.39 Stephen E Heretick Candidate PAC
7. $23,744.35 Dawn Adams Candidate PAC
8. $22,491.16 Vote Yes for Bristol Non-candidate PAC
9. $20,585.91 Jennifer Carroll Foy Candidate PAC
10. $19,567.46 Kathy Byron Candidate PAC

Campaign expenditures with Facebook in 12 states

Here is how spending with Facebook in Virginia 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 Virginia PACs submitted to the Virginia Department of Elections. 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 1/15/2022
2022 Jul Semiannual  7/15/2022
2023 Jan Semiannual 1/15/2023

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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