Nonprofit out of Virginia with undisclosed donors outspends in-state groups in South Dakota ahead of Nov. 5 election
An out-of-state nonprofit called Article IV, based in Arlington, Virginia, has spent $889,145 on advertising for Amendment H in South Dakota, a ballot question about open primaries. The group’s postcards feature images of soldiers and claim that the amendment will protect veteran voters who are currently unable to fully participate in the political process. However, some veterans have criticized the use of veterans in the postcards, stating that veterans can already participate in primary elections by registering for a political party.
Article IV, classified as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, does not disclose its donors and is classified as a “dark money” group. While in-state supporters and opponents of open primaries have formed committees that disclose their donors, Article IV is able to spend money on advertising without revealing its sources of funding.
Despite the significant spending by Article IV, the in-state pro-Open Primaries committee has raised over $750,000 mainly from local business leaders, while opponents have only raised $90,276. The top contributors to the pro-Open Primaries committee include Joe Kirby and his wife, along with other individuals and businesses based in South Dakota.
Overall, the influx of money from out-of-state nonprofits like Article IV is influencing the debate on Amendment H in South Dakota, where both in-state and out-of-state interests are playing a significant role in campaign financing for the upcoming election.
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Photo credit southdakotasearchlight.com