Candidates and Campaign Committees
For information pertaining to filling the vacancy in Council District 4, please refer to the Ethics Commission's 2013 Special Elections page.
Candidates for local elective office, and campaign committees that support or oppose such candidates, are subject to both state and local campaign finance laws. The Ethics Commission has jurisdiction over local campaign finance laws, also referred to as the Election Campaign Control Ordinance, or "ECCO." Local campaign finance laws are more restrictive than those at the state, and include campaign contribution limits and disclosure requirements not found in state law. This portion of the Ethics Commission's website contains links to ECCO and to a number of Fact Sheets that discuss, in plain language, many of the provisions of ECCO.
State campaign laws are enforced by the Fair Political Practices Commission [FPPC], which has prepared campaign manuals applicable to all candidates and committees. The Ethics Commission has prepared its own campaign manuals (see links below) specifically designed for candidates and committees participating in City of San Diego elections.
For questions regarding how to become a candidate or when to file campaign statements, please contact the City Clerk's office. If you have questions regarding what to disclose on those statements, contact the Ethics Commission.
Relevant Documents
- San Diego Campaign Laws [ECCO] (PDF)
- Ethics Commission 2013 Council District 4 Special Election Candidate Manual (updated 3/29/13) (PDF)
- Ethics Commission 2013 Council District 4 Special Election Committee Manual (updated 3/29/13) (PDF)
- Campaign Fact Sheets
- Top 10 Rules for City Candidates (PDF)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ethics Commission 2012 Candidate Manual (PDF)
- Ethics Commission 2012 Committee Manual (PDF)
Campaign Forms
- State Campaign Forms
- Form EC:LDF-DPM Professional Expense Committee - Disclosure of Pending Matters (PDF)
- Form EC-703 Electioneering Communication Disclosure Report (PDF)
2013 Amendments Relating to Political Party Contributions
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (strikeout version) (May 9, 2013) (PDF)
2012 Review of City's Campaign Finance Laws
Note: The 2012 proposed amendments (except for political party contributions) were adopted by the City Council on November 27, 2012.
- ECCO Amendments effective January 1, 2013 (November 27, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (clean version) (August 10, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (strikeout version) (August 10, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (clean version) (July 23, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (strikeout version) (July 23, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (clean version) (June 29, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (strikeout version) (June 29, 2012) (PDF)
- District & Citywide Contribution Limits Chart (June 7, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO (June 4, 2012) (PDF)
- Proposed Amendments to ECCO: Thalheimer revisions (April 26, 2012) (PDF)
- Thad Kousser Memo to Ethics Commission (April 12, 2012) (PDF)
- Political Parties Contribution Limit Chart (March 14, 2012) (PDF)