Legislation
Details:
The concept of public campaign financing is simple: the public helps fund
the campaigns of candidates who can demonstrate a wide base
of public support by collecting a large number of small donations.
Candidates, in order to recieve public funds, also have to agree
to limit overall spending and participate in at least 3 debates.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PROGRAM DETAILS, as of Nov. 2007: (See below for Mayoral program details)
Qualification: In order to qualify for public
financing, candidates must receive $5,000 from at least 75
eligible contributors by the 70th day before the election. Only
up to the first $100 of each donation will count towards reaching
the $5,000 limit, though any additional amount above that will
be matched when and if the candidate qualifies for public financing.
Eligible donations: Only donations from
San Francisco individuals will count as qualifying or matching
donations. Donations must be received within 18 months prior
to an election. Donations received prior to that will not
be counted for qualification or matching purposes.
Qualification payment: Upon qualification
candidates will receive a payment of $10,000.
Matching: For the first $40,000 beyond the
initial $10,000 candidates raise they will be given $4 for every
$1 they raise. For the next $37,500 a candidate raises they
will be given $1 for every $1 they raise.
Spending Limits: By participating in the
public financing program candidates agree to spend no more
than $140,000 on their campaign. Upon reaching the limit
the candidate will have received $87,500 from the city as
a match for the having raised $52,500 in private donations.
In case of independent expenditures and high-spending
by non-participating candidates: If the sum of any
candidate's spending, plus any independent expenditures made
on their behalf, goes above $140,000, the spending limit of
all other candidates who are participating in the program will
be raised by $10,000, in order to allow them the opportunity
to respond. Thereafter, whenever any candidate's spending plus
independent expenditures made on their behalf exceeds any multiple
of $10,000 above $140,000 the spending limits of all participating
candidates will be raised by another $10,000. If any candidate
has already crossed any of these thresholds, another candidate
crossing these thresholds will not trigger the raising of expenditure
limits.
In addition, if independent expenditures that in total exceed
$10,000 are made in opposition to a participating candidate,
that candidate will have their expenditure limit raise by $10,000.
Thereafter, whenever the sum total of any independent expenditure
made in opposition to that candidate exceeds any multiple of
$10,000 above $10,000 that candidate will have their expenditure
limit raised by an additional $10,000.
Whenever a participating candidate's expenditure limit is raised
they will continue to have funds matched at a $1:$1 rate, above
the initial $87,500 public fund disbursement, pending availability
of funds.
Availability of funds: On the 69th day before
the election, the total size of the Mayoral campaign fund, minus
administrative funds, will be divided by the number of qualified
candidates. If this number is greater than the $87,500 public
funds limit each candidate will have access to up to this amount
of money as matching funds if their expenditure limit is raised.
Campaign fund: The public financing campaign fund, which covers both Board of Supervisors and Mayoral races, is given $2.75 per San Francisco
resident per year from the city’s general fund (approximately
$2 million). Any funds not used in one election will be carried over to the
following election, except if the fund exceeds $13.5 million in
which case any amounts above $13.5 million will be returned to
the city’s General Fund. Funds necessary for the administration
of the program (approximately 15%) will
be taken from this account.
Debates: A participating candidate must
agree to participate in at least 3 debates with their opponents.
Agreement to participate: Candidates must
file their intent to participate no later than the deadline
for filing to run for office, which is currently set at 88
days before the election. A candidate who has signed a campaign
contract may void the contract within 5 business days of the
candidate filing deadline if the candidate faces an opponent
who did not sign the contract and the candidate returns to
the city all public funds received prior to voiding the contract.
Candidate donations to self: Candidates donations
to their own campaigns will be counted neither towards qualification
nor matching funds. By participating in the program a candidate
is limited to spending no more than $5,000 of their own money
on the campaign. Candidate donations to their own campaign will
not be counted as qualifying, nor matching contributions.
Donation limit: Under city law, both participating
and non-participating candidates are limited to accepting
donations of no more than $500 from any individual or organization
Date of public campaign fund availability: Public campaign funds will become available 9 months before
the date of the election, not earlier.
Inflationary increases: All of the dollar amounts
in the legislation will be automatically increased according
to inflationary indexes.
MAYORAL PROGRAM DETAILS, as of Nov. 2007::
Qualification: In order to qualify for public
financing, candidates must receive $25,000 from at least 250
eligible contributors by the 70th day before the election. Only
up to the first $100 of each donation will count towards reaching
the $25,000 limit, though any additional amount above that will
be matched when and if the candidate qualifies for public financing.
Eligible donations: Only donations from
San Francisco individuals will count as qualifying or matching
donations. Donations must be received within 18 months prior
to an election. Donations received prior to that will not
be counted for qualification or matching purposes.
Qualification payment: Upon qualification
candidates will receive a payment of $50,000.
Matching: For the first $100,000 beyond the
initial $25,000 candidates raise they will be given $4 for every
$1 they raise. For the next $400,000 a candidate raises they
will be given $1 for every $1 they raise.
Spending Limits: By participating in the
public financing program candidates agree to spend no more
than $1,375,000 on their campaign. Upon reaching the limit
the candidate will have received $850,000 from the city as
a match for the having raised $525,000 in private donations.
In case of independent expenditures and high-spending
by non-participating candidates: If the sum of any
candidate's spending, plus any independent expenditures made
on their behalf, goes above $1,475,00, the spending limit of
all other candidates who are participating in the program will
be raised by $100,000, in order to allow them the opportunity
to respond. Thereafter, whenever any candidate's spending plus
independent expenditures made on their behalf exceeds any multiple
of $100,000 above $1,475,000 the spending limits of all participating
candidates will be raised by another $100,000. If any candidate
has already crossed any of these thresholds, another candidate
crossing these thresholds will not trigger the raising of expenditure
limits.
In addition, if independent expenditures that in total exceed
$100,000 are made in opposition to a participating candidate,
that candidate will have their expenditure limit raise by $100,000.
Thereafter, whenever the sum total of any independent expenditure
made in opposition to that candidate exceeds any multiple of
$100,000 above $100,000 that candidate will have their expenditure
limit raised by an additional $100,000.
Whenever a participating candidate's expenditure limit is raised
they will continue to have funds matched at a $1:$1 rate, above
the initial $850,000 public fund disbursement, pending availability
of funds.
Availability of funds: On the 69th day before
the election, the total size of the Mayoral campaign fund, minus
administrative funds, will be divided by the number of qualified
candidates. If this number is greater than the $850,000 public
funds limit each candidate will have access to up to this amount
of money as matching funds if their expenditure limit is raised.
Campaign fund: The public financing campaign fund, which covers both Board of Supervisors and Mayoral races, is given $2.75 per San Francisco
resident per year from the city’s general fund (approximately
$2 million). Any funds not used in one election will be carried over to the
following election, except if the fund exceeds $13.5 million in
which case any amounts above $13.5 million will be returned to
the city’s General Fund. Funds necessary for the administration
of the program (approximately 15%) will
be taken from this account.
Debates: A participating candidate must
agree to participate in at least 3 debates with their opponents.
Agreement to participate: Candidates must
file their intent to participate no later than the deadline
for filing to run for office, which is currently set at 88
days before the election. A candidate who has signed a campaign
contract may void the contract within 5 business days of the
candidate filing deadline if the candidate faces an opponent
who did not sign the contract and the candidate returns to
the city all public funds received prior to voiding the contract.
Candidate donations to self: Candidates donations
to their own campaigns will be counted neither towards qualification
nor matching funds. By participating in the program a candidate
is limited to spending no more than $5,000 of their own money
on the campaign. Candidate donations to their own campaign will
not be counted as qualifying, nor matching contributions.
Donation limit: Under city law, both participating
and non-participating candidates are limited to accepting
donations of no more than $500 from any individual or organization
Date of public campaign fund availability:
Public campaign funds will become available 9 months before
the date of the election, not earlier.
Inflationary increases: All of the dollar amounts
in the legislation will be automatically increased according
to inflationary indexes.
|
 |
| |
“We
Clean Elections [Voter Owned Elections] pioneers are a
more independent bunch, especially because we’re
not worrying about how we’re going to raise the
big bucks to win our next race. Lobbyists for special
interests tend to spend less time with us, which makes
it easier to get through the Capitol halls in time for
a vote.”
-Glenn Cummings & Ed Youngblood, Maine State
legislators, elected with Voter Owned Elections
“All the trucking companies were in my committee
room. The truckers themselves weren’t there. But
I know I haven’t taken a penny from the companies
and they know that too. None of them have any ownership
of me.”
-Beth Edmonds, Maine Democratic State Senator, elected
with Voter Owned Elections
“It’s tough to get people to give you money.
It’s a lot harder than candidates think initially.
So a lot of our candidates will get 150 contributions,
180 contributions, and then they find that they better
go out there pounding the streets and talking to people
about issues... I really think the program does work well.
I think it does get the candidates out into the community.”
-Tucson City Clerk Kathleen Detrick, talking about the
donations qualifications for Voter Owned Elections in
Tucson
“At first I thought it was too generous. I don’t
think the 4-to-1 rate pertains to every city but, given
the demographics and the size of the population I had
to deal with, I had a lot of people to mail to and I needed
the money.” Cermeli continued, “I think what
they’re trying to do is equalize the playing field,
so that a person like me—who does not come out of
the party machinery, but does represent the public—can
run a competitive campaign.”
-Robert Cermeli, a candidate in the 30th council district
Democratic primary in NYC
|
|
|
|
