Facebook was paid $4.49 million from Virginia campaign accounts


In Virginia, state-level candidates and PACs spent $4.49 million from their campaign accounts on services from Facebook in the 2021 election cycle. Facebook received 1.06 percent of all reported expenditures. 

According to reports filed with the Virginia Department of Elections between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2021, here are the top candidates and PACs that spent campaign funds with Facebook.

Top 10 Virginia campaigns spending money with Facebook

Of the $4,486,863 spent with Facebook, 90.36 percent came from these 10 campaign accounts.

Top Campaign Expenditures with Facebook (1/1/2020 – 12/31/2021)

RankTotal Paid to FacebookNameAccount Type
1.$3,736,097.89Terry McAuliffeCandidate PAC
2.$100,473.28Vote Yes Richmond Wins!Non-candidate PAC
3.$39,889.76Vote Yes PortsmouthNon-candidate PAC
4.$31,106.28Tim AndersonCandidate PAC
5.$30,445.30Jennifer KitchenCandidate PAC
6.$29,884.39Stephen E HeretickCandidate PAC
7.$23,744.35Dawn AdamsCandidate PAC
8.$22,491.16Vote Yes for BristolNon-candidate PAC
9.$20,585.91Jennifer Carroll FoyCandidate PAC
10.$19,567.46Kathy ByronCandidate PAC

Campaign expenditures with Facebook in 12 states

Here is how spending with Facebook in Virginia compares to 12 other states with data available from Transparency USA for the most recent election cycle:

Comparison of total campaign finance expenditures with Facebook, by state

RankStateTotal Paid to FacebookReporting Period
1California$5,290,7451/1/2021- 4/23/2022
2Virginia$4,486,8631/1/2020-12/31/2021*
3Texas$2,675,2761/1/2021 – 5/14/2022
4Michigan$194,1801/1/2021 – 4/20/2022
5Minnesota$166,0721/1/2021 – 3/31/2022
6Arizona123,1541/1/2021 – 3/31/2022
7Pennsylvania$106,5131/1/2021 – 3/9/2022
8Wisconsin$101,9781/1/2021 – 3/21/2022
9North Carolina$78,9601/1/2021 – 4/30/2022
10Florida$38,5421/1/2021 – 3/31/202
11Indiana$29,5341/1/2021 – 4/8/2022
12Ohio$19,9241/1/2021 – 4/13/2022
*Virginia’s two-year election cycles end in an odd-numbered year. The first available reports for Virginia’s 2023 election cycle are due Jul. 17, 2022.

While spending varies widely between states, no state on Transparency USA has reported more than 1.06 percent of total campaign expenditures on services from Facebook in the most recent cycle.

The data above are based on campaign finance reports that active Virginia PACs submitted to the Virginia Department of Elections. Transparency USA publishes campaign finance data following major reporting deadlines. State or federal law may require filers to submit additional reports.

Report NameReport Due Date
2022 Jan Semiannual1/15/2022
2022 Jul Semiannual 7/15/2022
2023 Jan Semiannual1/15/2023

This article is a joint publication from Ballotpedia and Transparency USA, who are working together to provide campaign finance information for state-level elections. Learn more about our work here.