Corporatate Power Reset
Getting big money out of politics so that all Vermonters have a voice.
We believe elections should be decided by ordinary Vermonters; the size of your wallet should not determine the size of your voice. But the fact is that money currently influences elections and buys access. We need to get big money corporate out of politics and raise the voices of everyday Vermonters.
Here’s how we do it:
Vermont’s Corporate Power Reset to Undo Citizens United
On Jan. 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court in its Citizens United decision struck down existing limits on corporate independent expenditures, how much money a corporation can directly spend in support of a political campaign which has since opened the campaign spending floodgates to corporations and other outside groups.
Since the decision, the amount of corporate dark money in elections nationally has exploded from $143.66 million in 2008 to $4.21 billion in 2024. The extent to which corporate dollars have corrupted our democracy is alarming. Senator Bernie Sanders has said, “For the sake of our democracy, we must overturn the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision.”
But now there’s a solution to the problem that doesn’t require the decision to be overturned or an amendment to the Constitution.
How is this possible? The theory is straightforward. Corporations are created by states. Each state has the authority to define the powers of the corporate entities they charter. By modifying corporate charters to explicitly exclude the power to engage in political spending, it’s possible for states to render Citizens United irrelevant without technically overturning it. If a corporation lacks the capacity to spend money on politics, much like it lacks the capacity to vote or run for office, then no First Amendment right is implicated.
We can do this right here in Vermont. The Supreme Court has repeatedly reaffirmed the independent authority of states to determine corporation powers. Legislation is now pending in both the Vermont House and Senate that would amend the power of corporations and return power to the people.
Montana is one of the leading states to consider this approach. A bipartisan effort is underway to adopt this approach to corporate power through a ballot initiative this coming November. Marc Racicot, a former Republican governor of Montana and RNC chairman, said, “By declining to hand out corporate political spending powers from the outset, Montana can chart a constitutional course others may follow, showing that bold, effective, and principled reform is still possible across party lines.”
The corrupting influence of big money in elections is not a partisan issue. Eighty-five percent of Americans say the high cost of campaigns makes it hard for good people to run for office, including identical shares of Democrats and Republicans. Just a few months ago, another survey found that 63 percent of Americans disagreed with the Citizens United decision. (That includes 73% of Democrats and 53% of Republicans.)
It’s time to get corporations out of politics. Let’s ensure that living, breathing human beings are the ones determining the outcome of our elections.
Support the Corporate Power Reset and return power to the people.
Get More Small-Dollar Donations In
If we can’t keep all of the big money out of politics, we can at least do more to encourage small dollar contributions. Vermont has had a public financing system for certain races for more than two decades. But it hasn’t been effectively used in years and isn’t considered a viable option for most candidates. We need to invest in new approaches to encourage candidates to raise more small-dollar donations. Promising solutions have been seen in places like Seattle, where their Democracy Voucher Program has provided the means for more voters to contribute to their preferred candidates, encouraged those candidates to court more small grassroots donations, and increased participation in local elections, too.
Click here to learn more about Democracy Vouchers.
How you can help…
In 2026, VPIRG is advocating for pro-voter legislation, which addresses each issue outlined above. To stay up to date on important legislative priorities this upcoming session, sign up for VPIRG Action Alerts to take action to protect the public interest in Vermont here.