Maine Ethics Commission Fines ActBlue $100K For Late Campaign Finance Filing

ActBlue, a major Democratic online fundraising platform, was fined $100,000 by Maine's campaign finance regulators for filing a required quarterly report two weeks late. The report, due July 15, 2025, covered $1.2 million in donations to Maine Democratic candidates and committees, but was not submitted until July 29 due to processing errors, staffing shortages, and difficulties with the state's filing system. Though the Maine Ethics Commission initially considered a fine exceeding $680,000—the largest in its history—it reduced the penalty citing ActBlue's cooperative efforts and the relatively limited harm to public informational access, as many contributions were also disclosed by candidates themselves. ActBlue's attorney acknowledged the late filing was caused by a "perfect storm" of system and staffing issues amid multiple reporting deadlines. The fine is among the largest ever assessed by the Maine commission and underscores the challenges and scrutiny faced by major political fundraising platforms. ActBlue has been a dominant Democratic fundraising conduit since 2004, with Republicans creating WinRed as a counterpart in 2019.