Final Spend Numbers for 2024 Elections

The final campaign expense reports are in for many states across the country.

“Every single election cycle, we hear that it's the most expensive one yet,” Andrea Pauliuc said, an internal organizer with March on Harrisburg. The group advocates for government transparency.

Campaign finance organization Open Secrets does estimate 2024 election will beat spending in 2020, at $15.5 billion to $15.2 billion. Adjusted for inflation, 2020 far exceeds this year and previous years in spending.

(actual spent; $15.5 billion in 2024, $15.2 billion in 2020, $6.5 billion in 2016)

 (prior federal election spending adjusted for inflation; $15.5 billion in 2024, $18.7 billion in 2020, $8.5 billion in 2016)

The Federal Election Commission currently reports $14.8 billion in spending on federal races in the 2024 election. Political Action Committees outspent candidates and political parties significantly.

Looking at Pennsylvania races specifically… the senate race between Dave McCormick and Bob Casey cost over $280 million between candidate spending and independent expenditures.

The other state wide races for attorney general, state treasurer, and state auditor spent $24.3 million— $20 million of that came from the attorney general race alone.

“The bigger the money gets, the smaller the percentage of it that comes from the people in the district,” Frank Kirkwood said, a volunteer with March on Harrisburg.

The group says this year saw more money in both federal and state races coming from out of state sources.

“You know that money always comes with strings attached. You know, somebody is not cutting a six figure check without wanting something in return,” Pauliuc. “I think that makes Pennsylvanians really disillusioned with our political process, right? Where we're watching billions of dollars flow into elections. And we don't feel like we have a voice.”