Additional forms can be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office or downloaded from the FPPC web site at fppc.ca.gov. If you or your treasurer requires technical assistance on recordkeeping or reporting requirements, please call the FPPC toll-free at 1-866-275- 3772. Campaign Finance/Campaign Contribution Limit (City Regulations) The City of Irvine is a Charter City. All State Election Code requirements apply to the City of Irvine; however, the laws governing the election have been modified by the Charter and the Municipal Code related to campaign contributions. In addition to the regulations of the Political Reform Act, the City has local campaign financing regulations which are contained within this section for your information. The campaign contribution limit for the current election cycle (January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2024) is $620. The contribution limit is subject to fluctuation based upon the November Consumer Price Index (CPI) of even numbered years and is adjusted at the beginning of each Mayoral election cycle, or every two years. Hence, the contribution limit will be adjusted again effective January 1, 2025 for the General Municipal Election that falls in November 2026. Subdivision A of Irvine Municipal Code Section 1-2-404 imposes campaign contribution limits for City offices as follows: “No person other than the candidate shall make, and no candidate or campaign treasurer shall solicit or accept from any person, any contribution which will cause the total amount contributed by such person in any election cycle for that City candidate to exceed $300 as adjusted in accordance with section 1-2-405. ” Pursuant to the referenced adjustment, the current limit is $620. Subdivision B of Section 1-2-404 purports to apply the campaign limit to persons making contributions to independent expenditure committees that support or oppose candidates. However, after receiving an adverse ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a challenge by the Lincoln Club to the validity of Subdivision B, the City entered into a stipulated judgment not to enforce the provision. As a technical matter, this portion of the ordinance cannot be repealed without approval of the electorate because it was enacted by voter initiative. Subdivision C of Section 1-2-404 provides that the above-described limits “shall not apply to a City candidate's contribution of his or her personal funds or community property funds to his or her own campaign committee, but shall apply to contributions from the separate property of a City candidate's spouse. ” A “person” for purposes of campaign contribution limits means an individual, proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, syndicate, business trust, company, corporation, limited liability company, association, committee or any other organization or group of persons acting in concert. Refer to Government Code Section 82047. This definition encompasses a City vendor, contractor, or consultant.
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City of Irvine Candidate Handbook
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