You can use Venmo to accept political donations, but you must use a dedicated, separate account for the campaign committee, not a personal account, and ensure you can track and report donor information as required by your state's campaign finance laws. You must also be aware that Venmo is designed for individuals and businesses, not necessarily for political campaigns, so you may need to rely on other services, and you might have issues with the platform's terms of service regarding political donations. [1, 2]
Steps to consider if using Venmo for donations
1. Create a separate account: Do not use a personal Venmo account. Create a dedicated Venmo account specifically for your campaign committee. [1]
2. Track contributions and donors: You must be able to collect and report the contributor's name, complete address, and the full amount of the contribution for each donation. [3, 4]
3. Comply with state laws: Understand your state's campaign finance regulations regarding electronic payments and anonymous contributions. [1, 2, 3, 5]
4. Use caution with Venmo's platform: Venmo is designed for personal and business use, not political fundraising. While not strictly prohibited in some states, they recommend using services like PayPal or Braintree that are better suited for campaigns, according to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. [2, 3]
Potential issues
• Terms of Service: Venmo's terms may not be designed for political fundraising, which could lead to issues with your account. [2, 6]
• Data Reporting: Venmo's platform does not automatically collect the detailed donor information required for campaign finance reporting. [2, 3, 7]
• Fund Commingling: Using a personal account for campaign contributions is a violation of fundraising rules and can lead to legal issues. [1]
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://ocpf.us/PublicSearch/Index?q=venmo[2] https://ethics.iowa.gov/rulings/advisory-opinions/iecdb-ao-2022-03[3] https://www.hyattsville.org/885/Campaign-Finance-FAQs[4] https://elections.ny.gov/campaign-finance-frequently-asked-questions[5] https://www.brickergraydon.com/insights/publications/Ohios-campaign-finance-laws-permit-use-of-peer-to-peer-payment-systems[6] https://givebutter.com/blog/venmo-for-nonprofits[7] https://www.charityauctionstoday.com/p/pros-cons-venmo-for-nonprofits/
Henry McClure
785.383.9994
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