History of ActBlue in Timeline

ActBlue is a prominent Democratic Party political action committee and online fundraising platform established in 2004. Serving as a crucial component of the Democratic Party's fundraising infrastructure, ActBlue facilitates individual contributions to Democratic candidates and causes. Functioning as a conduit, it processes these donations, which are legally classified as individual contributions rather than PAC donations. By 2025, ActBlue reported having raised $16 billion since its inception.

2004: ActBlue's Early Fundraising

In 2004, ActBlue was founded and raised $19 million in its first three years of operation.

2004: ActBlue Founded

In 2004, ActBlue was founded by Benjamin Rahn and Matt DeBergalis.

2005: Zucker and Hill Join ActBlue

In 2005, Jonathan Zucker and Erin Hill joined Benjamin Rahn and Matt DeBergalis at ActBlue.

2005: Fundraising for Candidates

In the 2005-2006 campaign, the site raised $17 million for 1500 Democratic candidates, with $15.5 million going to congressional campaigns.

2006: Fundraising for Candidates

In the 2005-2006 campaign, the site raised $17 million for 1500 Democratic candidates, with $15.5 million going to congressional campaigns.

August 2007: Fundraising Totals

By August 2007, ActBlue had raised $25.5 million.

2007: Zucker Becomes Executive Director

In 2007, Jonathan Zucker took over as executive director of ActBlue.

2009: Hill Becomes Executive Director

In 2009, Erin Hill replaced Jonathan Zucker as executive director of ActBlue.

2016: Small-Dollar Donations

In 2016, ActBlue took in nearly $800 million in small-dollar donations.

2016: Clinton and Sanders Use ActBlue

In 2016, both the Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders used ActBlue during their primary and general election campaigns. Sanders' use of ActBlue represented the first time a major Democratic presidential candidate eschewed money from super PACs in favor of grassroots fundraising.

2018: Midterm Election Fundraising

In the 2018 midterm elections, Democratic candidates fundraised $1.6 billion through ActBlue's platform.

July 2019: $420 Million Raised

Between January and mid-July 2019, ActBlue brought in $420 million for Democratic campaigns.

2020: Biden and Sanders Use ActBlue

In 2020, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders both used ActBlue during their primary and general election campaigns.

2020: Fundraising Records Broken

In 2020, several fundraising records were broken. In the week following the murder of George Floyd, on May 31, over $19 million was raised, the highest single-day total so far that year. On June 1, that yearly record was again broken with $20 million in donations. Over half of all donations in the following week went to charitable (non-political) causes. In the day following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, over $70 million was donated through ActBlue, again breaking the single-day fundraising record.

2022: Donations After Dobbs Decision

In 2022, ActBlue brought in $20.6 million on the day the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

2023: ActBlue Lays Off Staff

In 2023, ActBlue announced that it was laying off roughly 17 percent of its staff as part of a "restructuring" to help ensure "long-term financial sustainability".

2023: Expanding CVV verification

In 2023, ActBlue began expanding CVV verification.

2023: Wallace-Jones Appointed CEO

In 2023, Regina Wallace-Jones replaced Erin Hill as president and CEO of ActBlue.

August 2024: CVV Verification Expanded

In August 2024, a spokesperson for ActBlue said they had begun expanding CVV verification in 2023 and were now requiring it for all new credit card donations.

September 2024: Lobbying Against Bill

In September 2024, ActBlue lobbied against a Republican-backed bill that would require CVV codes for political donations and prohibit contributions via gift cards or prepaid cards.

December 2024: Letter to ActBlue Regarding Donor Protection

In December 2024, 142 consultants, campaign staff, nonprofit staff, technology vendors, donor organizers, donors, and academics signed a letter to ActBlue saying the organization needed to do a "better job" of protecting Democratic contributors from being "exploited".

2024: Probes into ActBlue

In 2024, Republican public officials in several states launched probes into ActBlue over allegations of donor fraud. ActBlue called one investigation a "partisan political attack and scare tactic".

2024: Institute for Free Speech Sues FEC

In 2024, the Institute for Free Speech sued the FEC over the discrepancy whereby small donors utilizing conduits ActBlue or WinRed are automatically made public but same-sized direct donations are not.

February 2025: Senior Staffers Resign

In February 2025, seven senior staffers resigned from ActBlue, including the highest-ranking legal officer, the vice president for customer service, and a technology staff member who had been with the organization for 14 years.

March 5, 2025: Reasons for Departures Unknown

As of March 5, 2025, the reasons for the departures of several senior staffers from ActBlue were not publicly known. Two unions representing ActBlue employees wrote to the board noting an "alarming pattern" of departures that was "eroding our confidence in the stability of the organization".

April 2025: Presidential Memorandum Issued

In April 2025, President Trump issued a presidential memorandum "to crack down" on alleged illegal straw donor and foreign contributions in American elections, following reports and congressional investigations regarding potentially unlawful activities through ActBlue. ActBlue has added further controls.