2.16.080 Use of Contributions.

City Code Section

(Amended by Ordinances 189531, 190598 and 191335, effective July 21, 2023.)

  1. A.  A participating or certified candidate may only use funds in the candidate’s campaign account for direct allowed campaign purposes related to the candidate’s campaign for nomination or election to the covered office for which they are eligible to be or have qualified as a candidate. Guidelines regarding direct allowed campaign expenditures may be established by administrative rule.
  2. B.   Candidates in elections held on any date other than the biennial election date through January 1, 2025, may use any funds other than City matching funds to settle campaign expenses from a prior campaign during the first 45 calendar days of that election cycle.
  3. C.  City matching funds distributed to a participating candidate may not be:
    1. 1.  Used to make any expenditures prohibited by ORS Chapter 260 and Oregon Administrative Rules;
    2. 2.  Contributed to, or for the purpose of supporting or opposing, any other candidate, political committee or measure;
    3. 3.  Used to make independent expenditures supporting or opposing any candidate, political committee or measure;
    4. 4.  Used in connection with the nomination or election of a participating candidate to any office or at any election other than the office or election for which the contributions were given;
    5. 5.  Used to pay any loans, debts, fines or penalties, except for penalties permitted or required by administrative rule to be paid from the candidate’s campaign account;
    6. 6.  Used to pay for consulting services to an individual, unless the individual is providing bona fide services to the candidate and is compensated no more than fair market value;
    7. 7.  Used for out of state travel except as permitted by the Commission and published in administrative rules;
    8. 8.  Used for certain vehicle-related expenses, as determined by the Commission and published in administrative rules;
    9. 9.  Attorney, accountant and other professional service fees in conjunction with appealing penalties or decertification, unless permitted by the Commission and published in administrative rules;
    10. 10.  Used for salary or payment, other than reimbursable expenses, to a family member;
    11. 11.  Used for gifts, not including campaign brochures, buttons, signs or other printed campaign material;
    12. 12.  Used to make payments in cash; or
    13. 13.  Used in a manner inconsistent with administrative rules.
  4. D.  Public contributions may not be used for penalties or election night and post-election parties, unless permitted by the Commission and published in administrative rules; however, allowable contributions, seed money and in-kind contributions may be used for such events.
  5. E.  Contributions to civic and non-profit organizations are permitted as determined by the Commission and published in administrative rules.
  6. F.  A complaint alleging an impermissible receipt or use of funds by a Participating Candidate must be filed with the Director on the form prescribed by the program. Complaints will be handled in accordance with a process defined in administrative rules. 
  7. G.  A participating candidate must provide the Director with reasonable access to the financial records of the candidate's campaign account, upon request.

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