Secret spending in political campaigns is surging and it is only a matter of time before so-called dark money begins to shift the balance of power in local elections.

Dark money refers to political spending meant to influence the decision of a voter, where the donor is not disclosed and the source of the money is unknown. Depending upon the circumstances, dark money can refer to funds spent by a political nonprofit or certain political action committees (PACs).

Political nonprofits can spend on television commercials, radio and newspaper ads, robocalls, mailers and other activities to try to sway voters without disclosing the source of the money. They have played a major role in campaign financing on the federal level for years, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court essentially endorsed the practice in the landmark 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision.

According to reports, hundreds of thousands of dollars in dark money were spent in August’s primary elections in legislative races throughout the state. The use of anonymous cash to fund candidates and issues likely will grow in November’s elections.

The practice of using dark money in effect nullifies the campaign contribution limits Missouri voters overwhelming approved in 2016 because these nonprofits and PACs are not subject to the same limits so long as there is no coordination with the candidate. Exactly what constitutes “coordination” is a subject that can be murky, is sometimes tested in court cases and often abused, according to critics.

James Harris, a Republican political consultant who hails from Washington, Mo., told the Kansas City Star that the use of dark money in Missouri has become “the new norm” in political campaigns. Many predict that dark money is becoming so ingrained in our political system that it will eventually find its way into county and even municipal elections.

Make no mistake, this is a bad thing for democracy. Missourians deserve to know who wants to buy their votes. Dark money is corrosive to a system that is based on informed voters making educated choices.

Nineteen states have passed resolutions calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn the court’s decision in Citizens United. We wish Missouri would join them. In the meantime, there is a ballot initiative on the November ballot that seeks to enact rules to bar donors from routing donations through PACs to circumvent contribution limits.

The initiative, Clean Missouri, would also lower campaign contribution limits. We support this measure. Anonymity and secrecy in elections are antithetical to our form of government. Dark money shouldn’t be the new norm in campaign financing.