Chances are, you're not going to bump into Rupert Murdoch standing in line Tuesday waiting to vote at your local middle school. But the election impact felt by the News Corp. magnate, along with dozens of other politically influential billionaires is going to be a lot bigger than everyone standing in line behind you. And in front of you. Along with the lines at dozens of other polling places in your hometown.
To get a better idea of whose vote counts much more than yours does, Darrell West, head of governance studies at the Brookings Institution, has come up with a Billionaires Political Power Index. The ranking is based on a number of factors that help a handful of the wealthiest voters convert their personal riches into political influence. Besides accounting for campaign spending, the index tracks politically active nonprofit organizations and foundations, media ownership and other behind-the-scenes levers of influence.
Here are the top five on the list:
- Charles and David Koch
- Michael Bloomberg
- Tom Steyer
- Sheldon Adelson
- Rupert Murdoch
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-- John Schoen, CNBC