Wisconsin campaign finance laws allow Governor to raise unlimited money in recall election

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The Wisconsin State Journal reports that in the event of a gubernatorial recall in Wisconsin, incumbents can raise unlimited amounts of money from individual donors within a specified window.

Current Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker could face a recall election next year, and state campaign finance laws remove the cap on individual donations to campaigns between when the petition drive starts and when the election is certified by the state board of elections. A member of the state’s Government Accountability Board say that this is because recall elections come up with short notice, and do not permit elected officials ample time to prepare.

Network partner Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is quoted in the State Journal article. Executive Director Mike McCabe said that funding would likely top the $44 million spent in the regular gubernatorial election in 2010.

State senate candidates who were up for recall earlier in 2011 also had the ability to raise unlimited individual donations during a specified window. Those senators received 368 contributions over the $1,000 limit, according to Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which averaged $2,900.