what does this mean on fec filing Schedule A "* Earmarked Contribution: See Below"

When you see "* Earmarked Contribution: See Below" on a Federal Election Commission (FEC) Schedule A filing, it indicates that the donation listed is a conduit contribution.

Here is a breakdown of what that means:

• The Conduit: The donation was not made directly by the individual to the campaign. Instead, it was processed through an intermediary, most commonly a political fundraising platform (like ActBlue for Democrats or WinRed for Republicans).
• The Process: The donor gave the money to the platform (the conduit), which then "earmarked" (designated) that specific money for a particular candidate’s campaign committee. The platform then forwards the funds to the campaign.
• Why it’s noted: The FEC requires campaigns to disclose these because the law requires them to report the identity of the original donor, even though the check technically came from the platform. The "See Below" note directs you to the detailed memo entries in the filing where the campaign lists the name, address, and occupation of the actual individual who contributed the money.

In short, it is a transparency mechanism to ensure that the public knows the original source of the funds, even when they are bundled or processed by a third-party fundraising site.