Over 6.9 million donors across 31 million contributions fuel Democratic success
Small-dollar donors showed unprecedented, historic enthusiasm and determination in the third quarter of 2024, setting records rooted in the momentum of the most consequential election of our time:
- Over 6.9 million unique donors gave over 31 million contributions to 18,396 campaigns and organizations, totaling over $1.5 billion.
- This quarter was the largest in ActBlue history, showing once again that ActBlue is built for consequential moments.
- In the final stretch of the 2024 campaign, Democrats and small-dollar donors are poised to cross the finish line with the tools and resources they need to win.
The unprecedented enthusiasm of small-dollar donors this cycle is driving clear momentum for Democrats at every level, from the presidential race to crucial state and local contests. As November approaches, small-dollar donors remain a powerful force, pushing for victories up and down the ballot.
Big Moments
On July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden announced that he would no longer seek re-election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic nominee for president. The response from small-dollar donors was nothing short of historic – giving $27.5 million during the first five hours of VP Harris’ campaign, and over $154 million in the first 48 hours. In the first week of the Harris campaign, grassroots donors gave over $200 million sitewide on ActBlue to candidates and organizations across the country.
As the campaign quickly operationalized, VP Harris chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, and in the first 24 hours following this announcement, small-dollar donors gave over $41 million.
The momentum continued into the Democratic National Convention, with small-dollar donors giving over $100 million across the convention’s four-day span, with $7.2 million raised sitewide during VP Harris’ acceptance speech on the final night.
During the day of the debate between VP Harris and Donald Trump, grassroots donors gave over $57 million sitewide on ActBlue. Small-dollar donors met the big moments this quarter and will continue to meet the moment as the cycle continues.
In the Battlegrounds
The historic enthusiasm surrounding VP Harris’ campaign has expanded the map. Donors in North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, and Wisconsin raised over $228 million, an increase of 20% from the same period in 2020. Grassroots donors understand how crucial these states are and are concentrating their efforts on making sure Democrats are well-positioned for big wins in November.
Federal, State, and Local Races
While the presidential election is incredibly important, small-dollar donors know that down-ballot wins matter just as much:
- U.S. House and U.S. Senate fundraising remained strong with small-dollar donors contributing $131 million and $187 million for those candidates, respectively.
- Local races (councils, legislatures, and more) saw a 23% increase in fundraised dollars from the same period in 2020.
- Gubernatorial fundraising saw a near 70% increase in dollars raised from Q3 of 2020.
Supporting what matters to people
ActBlue continues to be one of the fastest-growing platforms for small-dollar donors to make an impact beyond political campaigns. Just this quarter, we saw small-dollar donors making major impacts supporting organizations fighting for issues like gun control, reproductive justice, voting rights and education, and LGBTQIA+ rights, among others:
- Organizations fighting for voting rights received over $76 million in grassroots donations.
- Grassroots donors gave $4.2 million to organizations fighting for reproductive justice, an over 208% increase from Q3 of 2020.
- Gun control organizations saw a 48% increase from the same period in 2020, with small-dollar donors contributing over $5 million.
- Small-dollar donors also stood up for the LGBTQIA+ community once again, giving over $3 million to those organizations on ActBlue – an over 64% increase from the same period in 2020.
TOPLINE NUMBERS
| Q3 2020 | Q3 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions | 31,411,055 | 31,685,311 |
| Total Amount | $1,478,597,846 | $1,554,737,913 |
| Average Contribution Size | $47.07 | $49.07 |
| Unique Donors | 6,783,128 | 6,957,034 |
| Unique Campaigns, Committees, and Organizations | 14,223 | 18,396 |
ACTBLUE ADVANTAGE
- Q3 2024 saw 4,173 additional unique campaigns, committees, and organizations fundraising compared to Q3 2020, marking a 29.3% increase.
- 67.4% of all contributions were made with a saved payment method or digital wallet.
- 71.8% of all contributions were made from a mobile device, a 14.8 percentage point increase from Q3 2020.
- Nearly $76 million was raised using Tandem forms, where small-dollar donors supported candidates in especially close races, and grassroots organizations in battleground states.
Payment Methods
| Q3 2020 | Q3 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| % of Contributions made with a Saved Payment Method or Digital Wallet Option | 68.7% | 67.4% |
| % of Contributions made via a Mobile Device | 56.9% | 71.8% |
The record-breaking surge of small-dollar donations in Q3 2024 has clearly demonstrated the power of grassroots energy in shaping America’s political landscape. As the Democratic Party heads into the final stretch of the campaign, these contributions are fueling races across the country, from local contests to the presidential election. Democrats are positioned to fight for victory in November, driven by this commitment and enthusiasm.
