Upcoming Candidate Training Dates

The Ethics Commission offers live training sessions on the City’s Election Campaign Control Ordinance to candidates and their staff. For the 2026 election cycle, training will be held virtually, on Zoom, on the following dates and times:

• October 22, 2025        12:00 p.m.
• January 14, 2026         12:00 p.m.
• March 19, 2026           12:00 p.m.

To sign up for this training, please email vvelasquez@sandiego.gov, noting which session you wish to attend. Please include the names and individual email addresses of each person who will attend. This information will be used to send a Zoom link and training materials closer to the training date and to track attendance. 

• For information about campaign contributions, please visit the Campaign Contributions page.
• For campaign finance information pertaining to specific City elections, please refer to the Ethics Commission's Election Campaign Information page.
• For a list of major donors supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot measure in a recent City of San Diego election, please visit the Campaign Donors page.
• Candidates for elective City office, committees that support or oppose such candidates, and committees that support or oppose City ballot measures are all 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 (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.
• State campaign laws are enforced by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), which publishes campaign manuals for all candidates and committees. The Ethics Commission publishes supplemental 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 these statements, contact the Ethics Commission.

Campaign Laws and Educational Materials

• San Diego Campaign Laws [ECCO]
• Campaign Fact Sheets
• Top 10 Rules for City Candidates (rev. April 2025)
• Top 10 Rules for Committees Making Independent Expenditures (rev. April 2025)
• Unique Campaign Rules (rev. April 2025)
• Comparison Chart (rev. April 2025)
• Frequently Asked Questions

Campaign Manuals

• 2026 Candidate Manual (rev. May 2025)
• 2026 Committee Manual (rev. May 2025)
• 2026 Non-Committee Manual (rev. May 2025)

Campaign Forms

• State Campaign Forms
• Form EC:LDF-DPM Professional Expense Committee - Disclosure of Pending Matters
• Form EC-703 Electioneering Communication Disclosure Report 

Historical ECCO Information

For memorandums, bulletins, draft amendments, and ordinances pertaining to past versions of ECCO, please visit the Ethics Commission's ECCO History page.