Inspired by Obama, Online Fundraising Flops Amongst Candidates in Brazil's Presidential Election

09/19/2014 - 08h49

Similarly to four years ago, citizen funded donations direct to Presidency candidates made via the internet tend to be pathetic also in this year's elections.

Marina Silva (PSB) and Dilma Rousseff (PT) have raised over US$180,596 through this method, less than 0.3% of the total sum each candidates' campaign declared to have earned until the end of August. Aécio Neves (PSDB) has not employed this fundraising method.

As it usually occurs, private companies are responsible for the majority of funds invested into candidacies. Another important source is public money derived from the Party Fund.

The backing of citizen funded elections via the internet came into vogue after Barack Obama won the elections to the White House in 2008 while backed by a wave of citizen donations that earned him more than 3 million small size donations via the internet - his campaign announced they had raised US$500 million.

This debate became increasingly important after Brazil's Federal Supreme Court signaled it would veto private funding in elections in Brazil. Most court ministers were for this move in April, but the trial has since been cut short and has yet to be concluded.

Those responsible for Silva and Rousseff's fundraising campaigns were not willing to speak. Backstage, the two candidates' allies affirmed that the model currently in operation in Brazil works only in a symbolic way and it would have to be nurtured after private funded elections face a veto.

However, they say they are still not sure how to do this.

In the 2010 elections, Rousseff and Marina kicked off the use of this fundraising tool in a dispute for the Brazilian presidency, under much expectation.

At the end of the elections, voters that used credit and cash cards to finance candidates invested US$81,268 in Dilma Rousseff and US$77,204 in Marina Silva, making a grand total of 0.17% of the expenditure declared by the candidates' entourage at the time.

Currently, Silva's campaign says to have raised US$101,585 until last Friday. On her website it is stated that she hopes that "instead of a few contributing with much money" her campaign may entice "many people to contribute with a little".

Despite this, Silva's PSB say it will be happy if the donations reach US$451,490, less than 1% of the total expenditure declared by Silva, a sum of US$67,7 million.

On the other hand, Rousseff's campaign claims to have raised US$80,816 up to Tuesday, (September 16th) from citizen donations via the internet - 0.1%of everything the Worker's Party candidate declared until the end of August.

Translated by CRISTIANE COSTA LIMA

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