Arkansas officials on Monday, March 31, 2025 said they plan to close a loophole in federal election law that allows foreign nationals to contribute money toward ballot measures, in the latest move aimed at overhauling the state’s ballot process.
House Bill 1837, sponsored by Rep. Mindy McAlindon, R-Centerton, would require an “affirmation” from the individual or organization making a donation that it “has not knowingly or willfully accepted funds in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in the aggregate from one (1) or more prohibited sources within the four-year period immediately preceding” the donation.
The bill defines a “prohibited source” as a political action committee that accepts at least one contribution from a foreign national, an organization funded by a PAC that receives a donation from a foreign national, contributions from a foreign national and contributions that violate state or federal law.
McAlindon presented the bill to the House State Agencies and Government Affairs Committee after 6 p.m. Monday, but pulled it down after committee Chair Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould, and Rep. Andrew Collins had questions for which she didn’t have an immediate answer. The bill will be on Wednesday’s committee agenda.
Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester said in a press conference Monday morning that “foreign billionaires have been donating tens and hundreds of billions of dollars to statewide ballot initiatives across this country, including Arkansas.”
“In fact, a single Swiss billionaire, Hansjörg Wyss, has spent over $100 million in ballot initiatives across the country in an effort to remake the American Constitution in what he called a progressive vision,” Jester said.
(The Wyss Foundation is one of the supporters of States Newsroom.)
While many state constitutions can be altered via direct democracy processes, the United States Constitution can only be changed via a specific process that does not include voting in an election.
Jester cited President Donald Trump’s recent executive order targeting election processes.
“President Trump has taken action on this in his recent executive order on election security,” Jester said. “He said that the foreign funding [of] ballot initiatives is a serious problem that states need to address. It’s unacceptable. In Arkansas, if you are a wealthy foreign national, we welcome your tourism, we welcome your friendship, but our constitution is not for sale.”
However, when asked, Jester only cited $1.34 million in donations from the 1630 Fund in 2018, an American nonprofit that is part of a network of left-leaning so-called “dark money” groups. He said the Swiss billionaire made donations to the 1630 Fund in 2018.
He said that Arkansans should know that “the person taking your signature was most likely funded by a Swiss billionaire who has never stepped foot in our great state.” However, Jester specifically said the issue he described with foreign funding of ballot measures wasn’t an issue during the 2024 election, although he anticipated that would not remain the case in future election cycles.
When requested, Jester’s office provided filings made by Arkansans For A Fair Wage during the 2018 election cycle, which showed that the 1630 Fund donated just over $1.34 million on $1.5 million in total donations received by the ballot committee. There’s no indication that any of Wyss’ donations to the 1630 Fund were included in the money the nonprofit gave to the Arkansas ballot committee.
According to the 1630 Fund’s IRS Form 990, which nonprofits file each year, the fund received $143.3 million in contributions in 2018 alone, with $141.39 million in expenses.
CLICK HERE to see more news at Arkansas Advocate, an affiliate of States Newsroom.
Arkansas Advocate is a nonprofit news operation. It depends on private support to produce high-quality journalism without advertising, subscription fees or paywalls. Donations allow Arkansas Advocate to expand coverage, purchase equipment and fight for open records. Your donation to Arkansas Advocate is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. CLICK HERE to donate.
