Fighting Dark Money in Elections
From WikiDemocracy
New Hawaii law targets corporate influence in politics after Citizens United ruling
| Jennifer Sinco Kelleher | Associated Press | May 2026
Hawaii enacted a new law aimed at reducing corporate and “dark money” influence in state elections by redefining corporations in a way that prevents them from spending on elections. The law is designed as a direct state-level response to Citizens United and is expected to face legal challenges, but supporters argue it could become a model for other states.
What to know about states' efforts to limit corporate donations in politics
| Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Geoff Mulvihill | Associated Press | May 12, 2026
This article explains the emerging state-level strategy behind Hawaii’s corporate-spending bill and Montana’s proposed ballot initiative. It describes how reformers are trying to use state corporate law to limit corporate political spending, while opponents argue the strategy may conflict with Citizens United and First Amendment doctrine.
Addressing Questions Surrounding Hawaii’s Bold Move To Undo Citizens United
| Tom Moore | Center for American Progress | April 29, 2026
The Center for American Progress defends Hawaii’s proposed corporate-spending reform as a constitutionally grounded use of state corporate-law authority. The article argues that states can define the powers they grant to corporations and can therefore withhold the power to spend corporate money in elections.
Hawaii’s pioneering, bipartisan effort to fight corporate and dark money spending in elections is a model for rest of country
Issue One praises Hawaii’s legislation as a bipartisan model for limiting corporate and dark-money influence in elections. The piece frames the law as a state-level reform that could inspire similar efforts elsewhere.
Transparent Election Initiative
| Tom Moore | Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance | August 7, 2025
This article describes Montana’s “Transparent Election Initiative,” a proposed ballot measure that would limit corporate political spending by changing the powers granted to corporations under state law. It presents Montana as another state testing a new path for reducing corporate and dark-money influence after Citizens United.
How a dark money network linked to Leonard Leo factors into Maine’s super PAC lawsuit
| Maine Morning Star | April 27, 2026
This article examines Maine’s voter-approved $5,000 contribution limit for super PACs and the legal fight surrounding it. The article connects the challenge to broader national dark-money networks and shows how Maine has become a major test case for whether states can limit the influence of very large donors and super PACs.
The Maine Lawsuit That Could Save Democracy From Big Money
| The Nation | December 11, 2025
This article analyzes Maine’s voter-approved super PAC contribution cap as a direct challenge to the post-Citizens United campaign finance system. It argues that Maine’s reform could become a major legal vehicle for revisiting the assumption that super PACs may accept unlimited contributions.
Arizona Supreme Court Grapples with Challenge to “Dark Money” Disclosure Law
| Eric Petry | State Court Report | March 17, 2025, updated September 30, 2025
This article explains the legal challenge to Arizona’s voter-approved Proposition 211, also known as the Voters’ Right to Know Act. The law requires disclosure of major donors behind election spending and was adopted to expose anonymous campaign spending from large donors.
Arizona Supreme Court allows GOP lawmakers to challenge voter-approved dark money disclosure law
| Arizona Mirror | September 29, 2025
This article reports that the Arizona Supreme Court allowed Republican lawmakers to continue challenging Proposition 211, while not yet deciding the law’s constitutionality. The case highlights the continuing legal struggle over state efforts to require donor disclosure in political campaigns.
Bill aims at dark money loopholes
| Marjorie Childress | New Mexico In Depth | February 5, 2025
This article reports on a New Mexico bill aimed at closing loopholes in the state’s campaign finance laws. It explains how political groups can evade disclosure rules and how reformers are trying to make it harder for donors to hide behind intermediaries when influencing elections.
It’s Time for Congress to DISCLOSE Election Spending
| Saurav Ghosh | Campaign Legal Center | March 4, 2026
Campaign Legal Center argues for passage of the federal DISCLOSE Act, which would require groups spending money in elections to disclose major donors and trace money routed through LLCs and other intermediaries. The article frames the bill as a federal response to dark-money tactics that hide the true sources of election spending.
Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races
| Anna Massoglia | Brennan Center for Justice | May 7, 2025
The Brennan Center documents the scale of the dark-money problem, reporting that undisclosed election spending reached a record $1.9 billion in the 2024 federal cycle. The article provides background for why states and reform institutions are pursuing stronger disclosure laws, public financing, and other anti-dark-money reforms.
New York comptroller race draws $4.6M in matching funds
| Timothy Fanning | Times Union | May 22, 2026
This article reports on New York’s public matching-funds program, which is designed to amplify small donors and reduce candidates’ dependence on wealthy donors and special interests. The comptroller race shows how public financing can help candidates raise significant money through small-dollar participation rather than relying primarily on large donors.
Seattle Democracy Voucher program up for renewal on August ballot
| Josh Cohen | Cascade PBS | July 21, 2025
This article explains Seattle’s Democracy Voucher program, a local public-financing system that gives residents publicly funded vouchers to donate to participating candidates. Supporters argue the system broadens who funds campaigns and reduces reliance on wealthy private donors.
State and Local Programs Help Take Big Money Out of Politics
| Cinthia Illan-Vazquez and Celina Avalos Jaramillo | Brennan Center for Justice | August 4, 2025
The Brennan Center surveys state and local public-financing programs, including Seattle’s democracy vouchers, as tools for reducing the influence of big money in elections. The article emphasizes small-donor public financing as one way institutions can counterbalance wealthy donors and dark-money spending.
The inside story of how the FEC investigated a dark money group but failed to hold it accountable
| Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington | March 16, 2026
CREW analyzes the Federal Election Commission’s investigation into Freedom Vote Inc., a nonprofit accused of acting like a political committee while avoiding donor disclosure. The article shows how enforcement breakdowns at the FEC can allow dark-money groups to avoid accountability, while also illustrating how watchdog litigation can expose hidden campaign spending.
