Public Financing Information

What is Public Financing?

The Public Financing Program, established under the Open and Ethical Election Code (OEEC), allows candidates to fund their campaigns with public money instead of relying on private donations. To participate, candidates must meet specific eligibility requirements and adhere to strict spending limits.

What are Qualifying Contributions ($5)

A Qualifying Contribution is a $5 donation made in a candidate's name to the Open and Ethical Election Fund. These Contributions are non-refundable. To qualify for public financing, a candidate must collect and properly document a specific amount of Qualifying Contributions from registered voters in their district.

Collection periods:

• Mayoral candidates: April 19, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. through June 21, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
• City Council candidates: June 2, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. through July 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m

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Guides and Helpful Information

• Voter Information on Petitions and Qualifying Contributions Pamphlet - English
• Folleto de información para votantes sobre peticiones y contribuciones elegibles - Español

Are qualifying contributions verified?

The Office of the City Clerk verifies Qualifying Contributions each week during the qualifying
period.

• Contributions collected outside the allowed timeframe will be rejected.
• Violations may be referred to the Board of Ethics.

Are qualifying contributions audited door to door?

Yes. The Office of Internal Audit (OIA) examines Qualifying Contributions during the qualifying period. Once the Office of the City Clerk verifies the Qualifying Contributions, OIA begins their audit. The audit process includes the following steps:

1. Sample Selection: Each week during the qualifying period, OIA selects a designated percentage of paper Qualifying Contributions from that week’s submissions for each applicant candidate. This percentage does not exceed 5% of the minimum Qualifying Contributions required.
2. Verification Process: Teams of two auditors will visit the residence listed on the Qualifying Contribution receipt to verify the following:
   • The contributor’s name as listed on the receipt.
   • The contributor’s residence at the provided address.
   • The authenticity of the signature on the Qualifying Contribution.
   • That the contributor personally provided the $5 Qualifying Contribution.
3. Attempts to Verify:
   • Auditors will make three attempts to verify each selected Qualifying Contribution.
   • If verification fails (for example, auditors cannot access gated communities), they will
     select replacement samples using the same criteria.
   • Custom doorknob hangers with callback instructions will be left at the residence. These
     will allow contributors to confirm their Qualifying Contribution by phone.

If the Office of Internal Audit is unable to verify the Qualifying Contribution, the City Clerk will reject the contribution and notify the candidate of its decision.