General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI will NEVER donate via Act Blue again.
Last week, I made several small dollar donations to numerous 2022 Dem candidates via Act Blue. There were links from Daily Kos to Act Blue pages bundling donations to house candidates running for seats in the most winnable districts, as well as pages with donations targeting critical senate, AG and SOS races.
I entered my information, including my US passport number (since I live in Canada), submitted my donations, and thought all was well and good.
I got confirmation emails thanking me for my donations, listing all the candidates I had donated to.
The problem is, several of the entries of candidate donations, including Stacy Abrams and several others (probably 20-25% of all candidates) were listed as not processed. The only reasoning I could think of was the candidates own software scanned my Canadian address, but not my US passport number (or Act Blue didnt provide it), and declined the donation as coming from a foreign citizen.
It gets worse.
When entering my information, I made sure to select the one time only button, and especially the dont email me box.
Everyday since I made the donations, I have received up to 10 emails and 10 texts from various Dem candidates, some of whom, like Henry Cuellar, I specifically didnt donate to.
I have had to click the unsubscribe link on each email which takes me to another page, which I must make an additional 1-3 clicks before I am truly unsubscribed (my experience with other emails is that just clicking unsubscribe is enough to end the unwanted email). Its a major PITA.
I have come to the conclusion that one way Act Blue makes money is by selling their donor lists.
I will NEVER donate via Act Blue again.
From now on, I will only donate directly to candidates I want to support.
msongs
(67,395 posts)prodigitalson
(2,408 posts)Bristlecone
(10,127 posts)At least the daily email solicitation of donations for every candidate under the sun.
Upside, when you ask to be removed from the emails you receive, you actually do get removed. Do as tine goes on, less and less emails come. Again, that has been my experience.
pwb
(11,261 posts)Just give your name and address. You may get a little junk mail but it is a lot more private.
Ferryboat
(922 posts)If you sell my info you will never get another dollar.
Prevents them from selling your name to other's seeking campaign contributions.
NCjack
(10,279 posts)go directly to the trash can, which is emptied weekly. I never see them.
Check your email system's blocking function -- it may be capable of the same.
Pobeka
(4,999 posts)I'll bet they all are trading information, whether it be Act Blue, or candidates. They want to know who is activitely donating.
former9thward
(31,986 posts)I have never donated through any middleman or party organization. Yet I get no end of emails from candidates from around the country.
mahina
(17,646 posts)Sucks and the lists are too much.
I made up a new Gmail just for them and I never read it
Jirel
(2,018 posts)Its just a giant spam house designed to share your data with every blue candidate from here to Marble Wig, DC, forever and ever. Give only to the candidates you choose, directly.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,328 posts)GOP has been trying, unsuccessfully, to create their own version of actblue for several election cycles.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,587 posts)Although when unsubscribing, the link took me to pages from the same 2-3 mail list companies.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,328 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,597 posts)Some (not all) candidates do sell their donor lists!
OS
Fiendish Thingy
(15,587 posts)That sucks.
BlueCheeseAgain
(1,654 posts)Who is more likely to donate to a Dem campaign than someone who has donated to another Dem campaign, after all?
Omaha Steve
(99,597 posts)Some states don't allow PayPal for payment as an example.
Hekate
(90,648 posts)As far as I can tell, nearly every candidate and nearly every organization seems to do that. Welcome to the 21st century.
Donate to whom you will, but spend a little time weekly (or daily, if you want) utilizing the Unsubscribe feature at the bottom of every email.
Kaleva
(36,294 posts)I'm not complaining as I figure that's the norm if one donated. A candidate's list of contributor's is often sold, rented or outright given to others.