Contra Costa County Municipal Code Ch. 530-2 Fair Campaigns

This division may be cited as the Contra Costa County election campaign ordinance.

(Ord. 84-9).

Inherent in the high cost of election campaigns is the possibility and the appearance of improper influence, real or potential, exercised by campaign contributors over elective officials. The intent and purpose of this chapter is: to preserve an orderly political forum in which persons may express themselves effectively; to place realistic and enforceable limits on the amounts of money that may be contributed to political campaigns in county elections; to decrease the cost of campaigns; to prevent improper influence over elective officials; to prevent the appearance of improper influence; to broaden the base of funding for campaigns and to provide full and fair enforcement of all these provisions.

(Ord. 84-9).

Unless otherwise specifically provided (below) or required by the context, the words and phrases in this division have the same meanings as in the Elections Code, and in the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Government Code Sections 81.000 ff.) and regulations adopted under Sec. 83112 thereof.

(Ord. 84-9).

"County election" means any primary, general or special election, including a recall election, held within this county for elective county office. Each primary, general or special election is a separate election for purposes of this chapter.

(Ord. 84-9).

"County office" means the elective offices of members of the board of supervisors, assessor, auditor, county clerk, coroner, district attorney, public administrator, recorder, sheriff, tax collector and treasurer, including combinations thereof (e.g., clerk-recorder).

(Ord. 84-9).

An "election cycle" begins on the first day of the month following the month in which the statewide direct primary election is held or January 1st, whichever comes first immediately following an election. An election cycle ends on the last day of the month in which the statewide direct primary election is held or December 31st whichever comes first, immediately following the next election for the same office.

(Ords. 99-40 § 2, 86-27, 84-9).

"Local ballot measure" means any proposition which is submitted to popular vote at an election by action of the board of supervisors, or any proposition which is submitted or intended to be submitted to a popular vote at an election by initiative or referendum as provided for in California Elections Code, Division 5, Chapter 2 "County Elections," Articles 1 and 2, Sections 3700—3755.5 or by recall procedure for a county office, whether or not the proposition qualifies for the ballot.

(Ord. 92-1 § 2).

Notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter, it does not apply to contributions placed in a controlled committee(s) of an incumbent of a county office where:

(1) That incumbent designates the committee as a committee to collect funds for purposes other than a campaign for county office;

(2) Those funds are not used for any purpose related to a campaign by that incumbent; and

(3) Those funds are not transferred to or used for any other committee controlled by that incumbent which raises or receives or spends money for the purposes related to a campaign for a county office.

(Ord. 84-9).

"Small contributor committee" shall have the same meaning as Government Code Section 85203. It means any committee which meets all of the following criteria: it has a membership of at least one hundred individuals; all the contributions it receives from any person in a calendar year total fifty dollars or less; it has been in existence for at least six months; it is not a candidate-controlled committee.

(Ord. 96-48 § 3).

"Broad based political committee" means a committee within the meaning of Government Code Section 82013(a) which has been in existence for more than six months, receives contributions from one hundred or more persons and acting in concert makes contributions to five or more candidates.

(Ords. 98-6 § 3, 89-11).

Notwithstanding any other provisions in this chapter, all filing requirements found in this chapter which are additional to or different from those set forth in Chapter 4 of the Political Reform Act (Government Code Sections 84100 et seq.) shall apply only to candidates seeking election in Contra Costa County, their controlled committees or committees formed primarily to support or oppose their candidacies, to committees formed primarily to support or oppose a local ballot measure which is being voted on only in Contra Costa County, and county general purpose committees active only in Contra Costa County, which support or oppose candidates for county office or the qualification of or passage of local ballot measures which are being voted on only in Contra Costa County.

(Ords. 92-9 § 2, 92-1 § 3, 86-48).