States Banning “Zuck Bucks”
Private financing of government election offices under the guise of COVID-19 relief skewed voter turnout in the 2020 election and may have tipped the presidential election to Joe Biden.
The chief culprit was Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who poured $350 million into one sleepy nonprofit, the Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL). CTCL then distributed grants to hundreds of county and city elections officials in 47 states and the District of Columbia.
Despite its claims that the grants were strictly for COVID-19 relief, not partisan advantage, the data show otherwise. CRC research into grants distributed in key states—Arizona and Nevada, Texas, Michigan and Wisconsin, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia—has documented their partisan effects.
As detailed below, at least a dozen state legislatures have responded to these revelations with bills to protect free and fair elections by prohibiting or restricting private funding of government election offices.
Arizona
- CTCL report: https://capitalresearch.org/article/how-ctcl-helped-biden-in-arizona-and-nevada/
- Latest news: https://stream.org/new-arizona-law-bans-outside-money-to-help-run-elections/
- Bill: https://legiscan.com/AZ/text/HB2569/2021
- Legislative summary: https://legiscan.com/AZ/bill/HB2569/2021
Florida
- Latest news: https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/04/29/florida-legislature-passes-elections-reforms-targeting-voting-by-mail-drop-boxes/
- Bill: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/90/BillText/er/PDF
- Legislative summary: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/90
Georgia
- CTCL report: https://capitalresearch.org/article/what-is-mark-zuckerbergs-election-money-doing-in-georgia/
- Latest news: https://thefga.org/additional-research/georgia-election-integrity-act-memo/
- Bill: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20212022/201498
- Legislative summary: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/59827
Idaho
- Latest news: https://thefga.org/press/idaho-zuckerbucks/
- Bill: https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2021/legislation/S1168.pdf
- Legislative summary: https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2021/legislation/S1168/
Iowa
- Latest news: https://www.kcrg.com/2021/03/08/gov-reynolds-signs-election-reform-bill-limiting-length-of-absentee-election-day-voting/
- Bill: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ba=SF413&ga=89
- Legislative summary: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ba=SF413&ga=89
Kansas
- Latest news: https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/03/kansas-house-overrides-governors-veto-of-two-election-reform-bills/
- Bill: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2183_enrolled.pdf
- Legislative summary: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2183/
Louisiana
- Latest news: https://press-herald.com/louisiana-house-votes-to-ban-outside-money-from-funding-local-election-expenses/
- Bill: http://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1185639
- Legislative summary: http://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?sessionid=201ES&billtype=HB&billno=59
Missouri
- Latest news: https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-votes-to-block-outside-donations-to-support-elections/article_7aea24d0-b2b0-11eb-bb0c-cb8c1de636c6.html
- Bill: https://www.senate.mo.gov/21info/pdf-bill/intro/SB333.pdf
- Legislative summary: https://www.senate.mo.gov/21info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=55156311
Pennsylvania
- CTCL report: https://capitalresearch.org/article/zuckerbergs-return-on-investment-in-pennsylvania/
- Latest news: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/states-laws-zuckerberg-spending-on-elections
- Legislative summary: http://www.pahousegop.com/News/19450/Latest-News/Lawmakers-Introduce-Legislation-to-Prevent-Private-Money-Election-Grants-to-Counties-
Tennessee
- News https://www.elkvalleytimes.com/news/state/outside-donations-outlawed-in-tennessee-elections/article_d6048450-6e58-5e9c-9a9c-b3435cf37271.html
- Bill: https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Fiscal/HB0966.pdf
- Legislative summary: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1534
Texas
- CTCL report: https://capitalresearch.org/article/how-mark-zuckerberg-almost-handed-texas-to-the-democrats-2/
- Latest news: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/05/07/texas-voting-restrictions/
- Bill: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/87R/billtext/pdf/SB00007I.pdf#navpanes=0
- Legislative summary: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SB7
Wisconsin
- CTCL report: https://capitalresearch.org/article/ctcls-zuck-bucks-invade-michigan-and-wisconsin/
- Latest news: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/11/wisconsin-gop-seeks-limit-private-donations-help-run-elections/5036724001/
- Bill: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/related/proposals/ab173
- Legislative summary: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab173
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This article was published May 19, 2021 and is reproduced by permission of Capital Research Center.
