Is my Progress Account a PAC contribution? What the heck are you anyway? A 527? A PAC?

Your Progress Account is not part of a political action committee or "PAC." When you start a Progress Account you become a member of the Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit. The Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit is sponsored by Progressive Majority Wisconsin PAC consistent with Wisconsin's campaign finance law. See? Simple!

Your money goes into a Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit account at our financial institution. All members put money in a single bank account. The money is earmarked by donor and attributed to an individual member. Each member then has a Progress Account from which to make political contributions. The money in your Progress Account is always controlled (and owned) by you.

Your money is contributed to candidates only at your specific direction. And the money only goes to candidates you choose. When others join you to support a candidate, we write a single conduit check for the total amount of the aggregated but individually authorized contributions. When you give money to a PAC, you give the PAC the authority to decide the "who" and "how much" of a contribution. When you deposit money in your Progress Account, you decide where your contribution goes. And your contribution is recorded as an individual contribution from you. Progressive Majority Wisconsin will make suggestions, but you make all final decisions. Accordingly, the key difference between a PAC and a conduit is individual control.

For the purposes of contribution limits, are contributions made via my Progress Account counted separately from other contributions?

No. Contributions made via your Progress Account are just like contributions through other means (e.g. on a candidate's web site, through the mail, at a fundraiser). Your Progress Account just helps deliver your individual contribution to the candidate. Better still: your contributions are pooled with contributions from other progressives, amplifying progressive power across Wisconsin.

What are the limits on my campaign contributions?

Contribution limits vary depending on the office sought. Progressive Majority researches individual campaign contribution limits for all endorsed races. Our online system will keep track of how much you have contributed through your Progress Account but it can't keep track of contributions you make outside your Progress Account.
Your Progress Account can make sure you do not exceed limits for individual races or Wisconsin's annual $10,000 cumulative contribution limit on all of your contributions to all state and local candidates.

Let your Progress Account do the math. Use the system for all your contributions to state and local candidates.

Are my contributions to candidates with my Progress Account tax-deductible?

No. Contributions to Progressive Majority Wisconsin PAC and made through the Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit are not tax deductible.

CONTRIBUTING WITH MY PROGRESS ACCOUNT

How do my contributions get to the candidates?

Progressive Majority Wisconsin will periodically request funds for candidates who need your support. When you authorize a contribution we will combine it with other progressives' contributions and submit a single check to the candidate you support. We will send checks more rapidly if warranted -- e.g., if a candidate has an urgent need for the cash, if a filing deadline is coming up, or if the candidate has received a sudden surge of support from the online community.

Are you taking a cut?

No! Your earmarked donations are sent to the candidates you designate. Progressive Majority Wisconsin (the sponsoring organization of the Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit) pays all operating expenses associated with your Progress Account.

We're not a business. Our goal is to get as many progressive candidates elected as we can.

What about credit card fees?

As an overhead expense, Progressive Majority Wisconsin bears the cost of the credit card processing fees. We pay processing fees for our access to the credit card network and the operation and ongoing development of our fundraising infrastructure.

How do I know that my contributions go where I intend?

First and foremost, we conduct all of our transactions with the utmost integrity and accuracy. All of our transactions and Wisconsin State Elections Board reports are audited by very mean attorneys. We don't do anything they don't like.

And you can verify it yourself! Candidates and political committees (like the Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit) must provide a complete report of contributions and disbursements to the candidates you support and the Wisconsin State Elections Board. Contact the Wisconsin State Elections Board for more information on how you can keep tabs on us.

If I donate to a campaign using my Progress Account, will I get phone calls from the campaign?

Maybe. The Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit reports your name, address, employer, and occupation to campaigns you support, but does not share your phone number or email address with the campaigns unless you request that we do so. If you are contacted by a campaign, they obtained that information from another source.

SPECIAL KINDS OF INVESTMENTS

How do I make recurring investments to my Progress Account?

When you start a Progress Account you have the option of making a one-time or a monthly recurring investments for as long as you choose. So, you can make a regular deposit in your Progress Account on approximately the same day each month, and you will be e-mailed a receipt for each monthly transaction.

How can I modify or cancel recurring investments once I have created them?

You can modify your personal information at any time right from your Progress Account profile.

LISTING CANDIDATES, COMMITTEES AND INDEPENDENT GROUPS

How do you choose who to endorse?

Progressive Majority Wisconsin endorses candidates who share our values and are committed to winning. Find out more about what we believe and candidates we support.

Your Progress Account is designed to bring needed resources and energy to progressive candidates. Moreover, your support helps candidates take full advantage of the one-on-one assistance Progressive Majority Wisconsin provides.

We are committed to changing the face of government and your Progress Account will help achieve this shared goal.

My favorite candidate isn't listed. Why not?

Your favorite candidate may not be our favorite candidate.

You can direct your money to whomever you choose, whenever you choose. However, Progressive Majority Wisconsin reserves the right to close your Progress Account upon notice at our discretion at any time. Any funds held in your Progress Account will be returned to you.

This policy is designed to discourage any clever conservatives from starting a Progress Account for the sole purpose of requiring the Progressive Majority Wisconsin Conduit to send checks to candidates we do not support.

MISCELLANEOUS

I have a great idea about how to make this site better... Who do I tell?

Let us know! We welcome your ideas on how to help elect more progressives to state and local office.

What's with this missing/broken link?

Whoops! Please let us know. If you want to curry the favor of the web team, find the correct link and include that in your message.

Who are you?

Learn more about the Progressive Majority Wisconsin team here.

Progress Accounts: FAQ

Progress Accounts

Kristen Dexter