Wisconsin Leads the Nation on ActBlue Reform: A Victory for Election Integrity
For years, the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom Coalition and our sister organization, Freedom and Family Action has highlighted a critical vulnerability in how online political fundraising is regulated. Wisconsin has taken a historic step to fix that gap — advancing legislation that strengthens donor verification standards and protects American elections from foreign and unverified contributions.
On December 9, 2025, the Wisconsin Assembly voted 55–42 to pass AB 385, making Wisconsin the first state in the nation to approve model legislation that can actually stop foreign-sourced political contributions concealed through unverified credit-card and gift-card transactions.
The Problem: Unverified Contributions Through ActBlue
ActBlue has been the dominant online fundraising platform for Democratic candidates and causes nationwide for more than two decades, processing billions of dollars in contributions. However, its historical practice of allowing donations to be made with minimal identity or address verification created a loophole that could be exploited — intentionally or unintentionally — to mix unverified funds into U.S. political donations.
This issue is not hypothetical. WIFFC’s research, including analysis of patterns in micro-donations and “smurfing”-type behavior, has documented how systems without proper verification could be used to process contributions that are difficult or impossible to trace back to real, eligible U.S. donors.
Wisconsin’s Legislative Response: Model Reform in AB 385
Recognizing this challenge, Wisconsin lawmakers introduced AB 385, legislation crafted to make the online political fundraising ecosystem safer and more transparent. The bill focuses on updating how financial transactions for political contributions are verified — applying industry-standard authentication tools at the banking and payment-processing level rather than relying on voluntary platform practices.
The result is a law that:
Prevents the processing of unverified credit-card contributions.
Avoids blocking legitimate donors by aligning standards with existing banking verification systems.
Closes technical loopholes that previously made it possible for bad actors to inject unverified funds into campaigns.
By focusing on the mechanics of online payments rather than only political rules, Wisconsin’s approach offers a workable and enforceable solution that strengthens the integrity of campaign finance without burdening lawful political participation.
WIFFC’s Advocacy: Years in the Making
This milestone did not happen overnight. WIFFC has been engaged in this issue for more than a decade — briefing legislators, conducting research, and providing consistent testimony on the risks posed by unverified online contributions.
In 2025, WIFFC’s allied 501(c)(4) organization, Freedom and Family Action, made this reform its top legislative priority, leading testimony and working directly with sponsors and committee members to shepherd AB 385 through the process.
The success in committee, and now on the Assembly floor, reflects both the strength of the policy and the depth of grassroots advocacy supporting it. (continue reading below)
Victories like the passage of AB 385 do not happen by accident. They are the result of years of research, legislative engagement, and grassroots advocacy grounded in conservative principles and a commitment to protecting the integrity of our constitutional republic.
As a 501(c)(4) organization, the Freedom and Family Action depends on the support of citizens who share these values. Your contribution enables us to continue advancing initiatives that defend election integrity, promote transparency in government, and uphold the principles of faith, family, and freedom in Wisconsin and beyond.
If you believe in this work, we ask for your support. Please consider making a donation today to help us continue leading on conservative policy reform and election integrity.
John Pudner
President
Freedom and Family Action
Historic Assembly Passage
The 55–42 Assembly vote marks a defining moment for Wisconsin and for election integrity nationwide. With this passage, Wisconsin has become the first governing body in the nation to move model online donation verification legislation this far.
Lawmakers from both parties asked constructive questions during debate, helped refine the final bill language, and ultimately recognized the need for practical safeguards that protect donors and campaigns alike without unintended consequences.
Why This Matters
ActBlue’s historical practices drew scrutiny because weak verification undermines transparency and invites foreign influence or manipulation into U.S. politics. The reforms adopted in AB 385 ensure that payment processors cannot accept contributions that skip basic verification steps, closing the loopholes that allowed unverified money to ripple through political fundraising.
This is not about limiting participation — it’s about ensuring that participation is lawful, transparent, and accountable.
Wisconsin’s Leadership Can Be a Blueprint
WIFFC believes that AB 385 is not just a Wisconsin success story — it is a template for other states and the nation. Lawmakers from other states have already expressed interest in the bill language as a model for their own reforms.
As AB 385 now moves to the Wisconsin Senate, WIFFC remains committed to seeing it through to final passage and to continuing the fight for strong, practical safeguards that protect our democratic processes.
Want to Bring Election Integrity Reform to Your State?
Wisconsin’s passage of AB 385, building on years of advocacy from the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom Coalition and our allied partners, shows what is possible when conservative values and principled policy reform come together for the sake of election integrity. Our state became the first in the nation to advance model legislation that closes loopholes used to process unverified online political contributions, addressing real concerns about transparency and accountability in digital fundraising.
If you believe in protecting the integrity of the electoral process, then this work doesn’t stop at Wisconsin’s borders. States across the country can adopt similar reforms to ensure that their election laws keep pace with modern technology and prevent unverified, foreign, or fraudulent contributions from influencing American elections.
Learn how your state can get involved in election integrity reform and join the effort to hold online fundraising platforms accountable — because safeguarding our elections is a responsibility for every citizen and every state legislature committed to conservative principles and fair, transparent elections.
Wisconsin Leads the Nation on ActBlue Reform
For years, the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom Coalition and our sister organization, Freedom and Family Action has highlighted a critical vulnerability in how online political fundraising is regulated. Wisconsin has taken a historic step to fix that gap.
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Wisconsin Leads the Nation on ActBlue Reform
For years, the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom Coalition and our sister organization, Freedom and Family Action has highlighted a critical vulnerability in how online political fundraising is regulated. Wisconsin has taken a historic step to fix that gap.