Introduction to Independent Expenditures
We’ve told you about how much money local campaigns have brought in for the 2025 race. Especially for mayor, candidates have raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars in their effort to become the next boss of City Hall. But there’s a lot more money being spent on local elections than that. Ostensibly separate from official campaigns, monied outsiders buy flyers, television spots, radio ads, and merchandise to try to push one candidate over another — or one issue over another. They do that through independent expenditures, or IEs, New York’s local version of a Super PAC.
What is an Independent Expenditure and Why Should I Care?
An independent expenditure is what happens when someone or a group of people come together to spend money on behalf of a candidate or a cause. “It means that a special interest group or a wealthy person can create a political spending account and use that money to express their political opinion,” said John Kaehny, executive director of the watchdog group Reinvent Albany. IEs are basically local versions of Super PACs — the “political action committees” on the national level that are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence campaigns, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 “Citizens United” decision. In essence, that ruling found that “money is speech,” said Kaehny, and that “a person’s ability to spend cannot be constrained by the government.”
How Can I Tell When Outside Money is Spent on a Race in My Neighborhood?
You’ve probably heard the term “dark money” before, a phrase used for the funds coming from national-level Super PACs. It’s called that because political action committee spending is notoriously hard to track. But in New York, tracking money from independent expenditures is relatively easy, thanks to strong disclosure laws. Not only do IEs have to report how and when they spend money on behalf of a candidate, they also must list their major funders — by name. That’s how in 2021, THE CITY was able to report on Alice Walton, the Walmart heir, spending serious money through a pro-charter schools independent expenditure called New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany to sway a Bronx special election.
How to Find Out Who Paid for That Campaign Flyer in Your Mailbox
If you want to see if an IE bankrolled certain campaign literature, look for the “paid for by” tag. That marking must be included somewhere on the communication and will list a few things: The name of the independent expenditure committee and its top officer, the names of the group’s top three donors, and a link to the CFB’s Follow the Money database, available at nyc.gov/followthemoney. Important note: Lots of campaign literature and ads will be flying around during the 2025 election season and much of it will come directly from campaigns, not from independent expenditures. Those will have a “paid for by” ad, too, but not the “Follow the Money” hyperlink.
What are the IEs’ Motives or Allegiances?
Now you know how to use the city database to find basic information about these groups. But that doesn’t necessarily reveal motives, especially for groups backing an issue or idea rather than a candidate. Figuring that part out isn’t easy, especially since lots of IEs have “really vague names,” said Kaehny. Those include the previously mentioned Fix the City, Affordable New York, or cosmetics billionaire Ronald Lauder’s Safe Together New York Inc. This is where a bit of detective work comes in. When you find out the name of the group sending you mail, or buying air time, put the name in a search engine or your favorite local news site for more information. That will hopefully reveal more about their motives.
I Haven’t Seen a Lot of Campaign Literature or Ads in My Neighborhood Yet. Why Not?
Typically, the types of mailers and advertisements you’ll see that stem from independent expenditures pop up much closer to the date of an election. “That’s your peak get-out-the-vote time. That’s when you start seeing a lot more campaign spending in general,” said Hunter. “A lot of people don’t even know that an election’s happening up until the week before it.” The CFB updates its independent expenditure database weekly for now, and will start updating daily on June 11. Bear in mind: IEs show up in the CFB database only when they have spent $1,000 or more. So sometimes an active IE that’s raising money and working will not appear in the record for weeks or months — until they start spending money in earnest.
To Recap
To understand the role of independent expenditures in local elections, follow these steps:
- Check the fine print of political ads for candidates or groups you’re curious about.
- Drop them into nyc.gov/FollowTheMoney to see where the cash is coming from and how much is getting spent on political ads and flyers in your local races.
- Find the names of independent expenditure groups or their big funders.
- Do a quick search online to see if you can figure out their motives.
- Keep that information in mind as you head to the ballot box for the June 24 primary.
Conclusion
Independent expenditures play a significant role in shaping local elections in New York City. By understanding what IEs are, how they operate, and how to track their spending, voters can make more informed decisions at the ballot box. Remember to look for the “paid for by” tag on campaign literature and ads, and use the CFB’s Follow the Money database to learn more about the groups behind these expenditures.
FAQs
- What is an independent expenditure (IE)?
An IE is a group that spends money on behalf of a candidate or cause without coordinating with the candidate’s official campaign. - How can I track IE spending in New York City?
Use the CFB’s Follow the Money database, available at nyc.gov/followthemoney. - What information must IEs disclose?
IEs must disclose their spending, major funders, and the names of their top officers. - How can I find out who paid for a campaign flyer or ad?
Look for the “paid for by” tag, which will list the IE’s name, top officer, and major funders, as well as a link to the CFB’s database.
