A shadowy network of foreign-backed funding is flooding U.S. ballot initiatives, with progressive nonprofit groups at the center and states like Ohio scrambling to stop the interference.
At a Glance
- Sixteen Thirty Fund steered over $130 million into U.S. ballot measures
- FEC ruling allows foreign donors to fund ballot initiatives legally
- Ohio passed a law to ban foreign contributions in elections
- Swiss billionaire linked to hundreds of millions in dark money
- Federal action stalls despite public outcry
Foreign Funding Pours into Ballot Measures
A flood of foreign-linked dark money is sweeping through U.S. state ballot initiatives, raising alarms about the integrity of direct democracy. At the heart of this storm is the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a progressive political nonprofit that has funneled over $130 million into controversial ballot campaigns nationwide. Fueled by major donations from Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss—who has given more than $245 million to the fund and its network since 2016—these efforts have influenced initiatives on abortion, drug laws, and election reforms across at least 25 states, according to The Daily Signal.
This explosive growth stems partly from a 2021 Federal Election Commission decision that allowed foreign nationals to finance ballot initiatives, interpreting them as issue-based advocacy rather than electoral support. As reported by Axios, the ruling created a backdoor for foreign influence in American lawmaking—without ever electing a candidate.
Watch CBS News’ report on the issue at Foreign Money in U.S. Ballot Initiatives.
Ohio Takes the Lead in Legislative Crackdown
Ohio has emerged as the first state to push back hard against this type of interference. After revelations that more than $14 million of foreign-linked funds had been used to sway state ballot issues—especially on abortion and drug decriminalization—lawmakers passed legislation banning all foreign contributions to ballot campaigns. The new law, House Bill 1, closes the loophole by also barring lawful permanent residents from donating, as detailed in the Ohio House announcement.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose called the reform a necessary defense, saying, “We can’t allow foreign actors to manipulate our policies through deceptive campaign spending.” His office continues to investigate past donations, though the funding trail often vanishes behind shell nonprofits, according to his public statement.
The issue’s political heat has prompted similar moves in other states, with ballot integrity becoming a flashpoint in the 2025 legislative season.
National Reform Stalls Despite Overwhelming Support
Despite support from 80% of voters in a 2022 poll, Congress has failed to advance meaningful legislation that would ban foreign donations in ballot campaigns. Measures like the DISCLOSE Act have repeatedly stalled. The act, which would require the disclosure of major donors and ban foreign national contributions to ballot initiatives, has faced resistance from lawmakers who argue it could chill free speech, according to the Brennan Center.
Complicating matters, election security funding and support were slashed under the Trump administration, weakening the Department of Homeland Security and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s ability to monitor threats. This left states to shoulder the burden of defending election infrastructure, opening the door to more aggressive foreign interference.
The rising influence of dark money in state policy-making now represents one of the most urgent electoral vulnerabilities in the U.S.—and without federal action, the loophole is likely to remain wide open.
