Contra Costa County Municipal Code Art. 530-2.7 Supervisorial Campaigns

(a) This article applies only to candidates for the office of county supervisor. Unless otherwise specified, "candidate" includes recall candidates. "Recall candidates" means those candidates who are running to replace an incumbent supervisor who is the subject of a ballot measure calling for the incumbent supervisor's recall.

(b) Ordinance Code Sections 530-2.402, 530-2.403, 530-2.404, 530-2.405 and 530-2.603 shall not apply to candidates for the office of county supervisor.

(c) To the extent that there is any conflict between the provisions of this article and the other provisions of Chapter 530-2, the provisions of this article shall prevail as to campaigns for the office of county supervisor.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ords. 96-48 § 4; 95-8 § 3).

For a single county election cycle, no person or political committee (other than the candidate or a broad based political committee) shall make, and no candidate or campaign treasurer shall accept, any contribution to or for a single candidate for county supervisor or to or for a committee authorized in writing by the candidate to accept contributions to the candidate that will cause the total amount contributed by that person or political committee in support of that candidate for that election cycle to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars, except as provided in Section 530-2.705(a) and Section 530-2.708(c) of this article.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ord. No. 2022-04 § III, 2-1-22; Ords. 2005-22 § 3, 99-40 § 3, 98-6, 96-48, 95-8).

For a single county election cycle, no broad based political committee shall make and no candidate or campaign treasurer shall accept, any contribution to or for a single candidate for county supervisor or to or for a committee authorized in writing by the candidate to accept contributions to the candidate, which will cause the total amount contributed by such broad based political committee in support of that candidate for that election cycle to exceed five thousand dollars. For a single election cycle, the total aggregate amount of contributions from all broad based political committees which a candidate may accept shall not exceed forty thousand dollars, except as provided in Section 530-2.705(a) of this article.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ords. 2005-22 § 4, 99-40 § 4, 98-6, 96-48, 95-8).

(a) For an election cycle, when the total cumulative expenditures of the committee or committees making independent expenditures opposing the candidate or supporting that candidate's opponent(s) equal seventy-five thousand dollars or more, the individual campaign contribution limit applicable to that candidate shall be increased to five thousand dollars and the aggregate amount that candidate can accept in contributions from all broad based political committees shall be increased to twice the amount in Section 530-2.704 of this article. To be eligible for the increases in contribution limits, the candidate must have received disclosures pursuant to subsection (c) of this section that show cumulative independent expenditures equal to seventy-five thousand dollars or more by the committee or committees in opposition to the candidate or in support of the candidate's opponent(s).

(b) For an election cycle, when the total cumulative expenditures of the committee or committees making independent expenditures opposing the candidate or supporting that candidate's opponent(s) equal seventy- five thousand dollars or more, the limit on the amount the candidate can lend to the candidate's campaign shall be increased to an aggregate amount of fifty thousand dollars and the candidate shall be entitled to receive repayment of personal loans in the aggregate amount of fifty thousand dollars. To be eligible for the increases in the limits on personal loans and repayment of those loans, the candidate must have received disclosures pursuant to subsection (c) of this section that show cumulative independent expenditures equal to seventy-five thousand dollars or more by the independent expenditure committee or committees in opposition to the candidate or in support of the candidate's opponent(s).

(c) Any committee that makes independent expenditures in support of or in opposition to any candidate for supervisorial office shall notify the county clerk-election division and all opponents running for the same seat, within twenty-four hours whenever the committee has made cumulative expenditures of five thousand dollars, ten thousand dollars, fifteen thousand dollars and so on in multiples of five thousand. A committee that makes independent expenditures in support of or in opposition to any candidate for supervisorial office shall also notify the county clerk-election division, the district attorney, and all opponents running for the same seat, within twenty-four hours whenever the committee has made cumulative expenditures equal to seventy-five thousand dollars.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ord. 2005-22 § 5).

For a single county election cycle, no candidate shall lend to the candidate's campaign or controlled committee any amount in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars, except as provided in Section 530-2.705(b).

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ords. 2005-22 § 6, 99-40 § 5, 98-6, 96-48, 95-8).

(a) Self Funded Candidate Defined. For purposes of this article, "self funded candidate" means a supervisorial candidate who makes loans and contributions of the candidate's personal funds to the candidate's campaign or campaign committee, in the aggregate amount of more than twenty-five thousand dollars. For purposes of this article "contributions from personal funds" means contributions from the candidate and the candidate's immediate family by blood or marriage. For purposes of this article "immediate family" means spouse, children, parents and siblings.

(b) Statement of Intent to Self Fund. A candidate for a primary, general or recall election who intends to be a self funded candidate shall file with the county clerk-election division a statement signed under penalty of perjury which states that the candidate intends to self fund in an amount exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars. The candidate shall file the statement at the same time that the candidate files the candidate's declaration of candidacy.

(c) Individual Campaign Contribution Limit Increased for Opponent of Self Funded Candidate. For an election cycle, for a candidate who is not a self funded candidate, the amount of the individual campaign contribution limit shall be increased to five thousand dollars if: (1) the candidate's opponent(s) files a statement of intent to self fund in an amount exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars, or (2) if without filing such a statement, the opponent makes loans and contributions of the opponent's personal funds to the opponent's campaign or campaign committee, in the aggregate amount of more than twenty-five thousand dollars and makes expenditures exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ords. 2005-22 § 7, 99-40 § 7, 98-6).

If a supervisorial candidate makes loans and contributions of the candidate's personal funds to the candidate's campaign or campaign committee which in the aggregate exceed twenty-five thousand dollars, once the candidate or candidate's campaign committee has made expenditures exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars the amount loaned shall be deemed a contribution from the candidate to the candidate's campaign or campaign committee, and the candidate shall not be entitled to repayment of the monies loaned, except as provided in Section 530-2.705(b) of this title.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ords. 2005-22 § 8, 98-6 § 9).

(a) Each candidate, each committee supporting or opposing a candidate for county office, each committee supporting or opposing a local ballot measure which is being voted on only in Contra Costa and each county general purpose committee which supports or opposes candidates for county office or local ballot measures being voted on only in Contra Costa County, shall file a campaign statement in the county clerk-election division office, on every date a statement is required by the Political Reform Act covering the same time period as the statement filed pursuant to state law and one additional statement. The additional statement shall be filed by twelve noon on the last Friday before the election covering the period between the previous statement filed and twelve midnight of the last Thursday before the election. The additional filing must be timely received by the filing officer and is not accomplished by deposit in the mail. This statement shall include, in addition to all matters required by this section, the same disclosures required for the last campaign statement before the election by the Political Reform Act.

(b) Each committee supporting or opposing the qualification of a local ballot measure to be voted on only in Contra Costa County shall file in the county clerk-election division office a statement of organization and a campaign statement on every date such statements are required by the Political Reform Act covering the same time period as the statement filed pursuant to state law, and additional campaign statements on the fifth day after filing the statement of organization and the fifth day of every month thereafter until petitions are filed or the deadline for filing petitions, whichever is earlier. The closing date for the period covered by an additional campaign statement shall be five days prior to the deadline for filing the statement.

(c) In addition to campaign statements, each candidate, each county general purpose committee, and each committee supporting or opposing a candidate for county office or the qualification or passage of a local ballot measure which is being voted on only in Contra Costa County, which makes independent expenditures for or against any candidate for county office or for or against the qualification of, or passage of any local ballot measure, shall file an independent expenditure report in the county clerk-election division office, on every date a report is required by the Political Reform Act covering the same time period as the report filed pursuant to state law, and one additional report. The additional report shall be filed by twelve noon on the last Friday before the election covering the period between the previous report filed and twelve midnight of the last Thursday before the election. This filing must be timely received by the filing officer and is not accomplished by deposit in the mail. Each independent expenditure report shall contain the same disclosure required by Government Code Section 84203.5(b).

(Ords. 98-6 § 10, 95-8 § 4, 92-9 § 4, 92-1 § 4, 91-10, 84-14, 84-9).

Each county campaign statement required to be filed by candidates for county office, county general purpose committees, committees supporting or opposing a candidate for county office, or committees supporting or opposing the qualification of, or passage of, a local ballot measure which is being voted on only in Contra Costa County shall contain:

(1) If the cumulative amount of contributions for the election from a person is one hundred dollars or more and a contribution has been received from that person during the period covered by the campaign statement, the statement shall contain the same disclosures required by Government Code Section 84211.

(2) The statement shall contain the same disclosures of expenditures required by Government Code Section 84211.

(3) In the case of campaign statements filed by a committee, other than a candidate-controlled committee, the statement shall contain the full name, and street address of any person or persons who direct or control the contributions or expenditures made by the committee.

(4) Candidates and committees need not duplicate any reports of contributions, loans or expenditures required by state law but may certify that reports made pursuant to this section are in addition to those made pursuant to state law.

(Ords. 2005-22 § 9, 98-6 § 11, 95-8 § 5, 92-9 § 5, 92-1 § 5, 91-10, 84-9).

Committees domiciled outside this county which make independent expenditures or contributions for or against any candidate for county office, or for or against the qualification of, or passage of any local ballot measure which is being voted upon only in Contra Costa County shall file a report with the county clerk's elections division, in the time and manner required by Government Code Sections 84200 ff. and 530-2.804, subsection (6) for committees domiciled in this county which either support or oppose a candidate for county office or support or oppose a local ballot measure which is being voted on only in this county.

(Ords. 95-8 § 6, 92-1 § 6, 91-10, 84-9).

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person who is required to file a statement, report, or other document with the County Clerk — Elections Division pursuant to Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Government Code, or pursuant to this chapter, shall file the statement, report, or other document with the County Clerk — Elections Division by using the online filing system designated by the County Clerk — Elections Division. The requirements of this section apply to the elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person until the person or committee files a termination statement in accordance with Government Code section 84214, or unless the person or committee is exempt from filing under subsection (b) of this section.

(b) An elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person is not required to file online under this section in a calendar year if the person is not required to file a statement, report, or other document with the County Clerk — Elections Division pursuant to Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Government Code, or pursuant to this chapter, in that calendar year.

(Ord. No. 2016-05, § III, 3-15-16)