How to run under Small Donor Elections
Step 1: Comply with the rules
The rules for the 2024 cycle have been in effect as of December 23, 2022. So if candidates are interested in running in the 2024 election, they must ensure that they are in compliance as of December 23rd, 2022. Potential candidates must:
- Have only one campaign bank account
- Have paid back all pre-existing campaign debt
You can read the Administrative Rules, or the SDE law itself by clicking here.
Here is a copy of the candidate guide, to refer to:
Note: A number of these rules may change soon. The City Council is considering a package of recommendations from the Portland Elections Commission to update the match rate, matching caps, and other rules for the 2024 election. This website--and these documents--will be updated if/when the City Council considers the recommendations.
Please review the key dates for the 2024 election cycle, found in this document:
Step 2: File the Notice of Intent and take the mandatory training
In order to officially register for the Small Donor Elections program, candidates must submit their Notice of Intent to our office by August 20th, 2024. They must also include their ACH Authorization, a W-9 Form, and a voided check from the campaign bank account. Once candidates file this form, their participation in the program will be noted publicly on the Small Donor Elections website.
Candidates and their treasurers are required to take a training with SDE staff by August 1, 2024. The training can be given either remotely or in-person, is confidential, and the candidate can invite other members of their campaign team. Please contact Deputy Director Daniel Lewkow at Daniel.lewkow@portlandoregon.gov to schedule a training.
Only once they complete Step 2 can candidates begin to raise the donations to qualify for small donor matching.
Step 3: Raise enough matchable donations to qualify
Candidates for office must raise a certain number of contributions to qualify for city matching funds under Small Donor Elections
- Candidates for mayor must raise donations of $5-$250 from at least 750 Portland donors
- Candidates for commissioner or auditor must raise donations of $5-$250 from at least 250 Portland donors
Candidates must raise the required number of contributions from individuals living in the City of Portland. They can raise funds from donors living outside of Portland, but only donations from Portland residents count towards the qualifying requirement. Our office recommends raising more than the required number, so as to ensure that they have cleared the threshold.
Step 4: Report all contributions and expenditures
Transparency is a crucial value for the Small Donor Elections program. In order to participate, candidates must report their contributions and expenditures to our office monthly, and then weekly during the final 42 days before an election. This is a separate reporting process from the Oregon Secretary of State's process, although we operate on the same reporting timeline that you will use for the Secretary of State’s office. Staff will provide each campaign with a log-in to a website to allow for fast and simple reporting.
When submitted cash or money order contributions, you must submit this cash attestation form.
Step 5: Apply for certification by September 3, 2024
Once candidates have collected the required number of matchable contributions, they can then apply for certification. If approved, our office will match both future donations from Portland residents nine-to-one up to $20, as well as the matchable contributions that the candidate has already collected*. To be certified, candidates must have:
- Collected the required matchable donations
- Filed for office by fee or by collecting signatures on the nominating petition. Please connect with the Portland Elections Office for information about how to file by nominating petition
- Reported all contributions and expenditures to the Office of Small Donor Elections
- Followed the program rules
Candidates may only file for certification two times. Our office encourages candidates to ask for an informal assessment before applying for certification, so that our staff can update the campaign on how many matchable contributions we have verified.
Step 6: Continue raising money and getting matched
If a candidate has been certified, then our office will match donations under $20 nine-to-one. This can allow candidates without networks of wealthy donors to raise enough funding to be competitive. To be matched, donations must be:
- From a Portland resident, verified to be living at their address
- From an individual
- From a person at least 18 years old
- Accompanied by an attestation document (if cash or money order, using this form)
- From a donor who's donation to another candidate was already matched to $20. Donors can give to multiple candidates in the same race. But our office only matches their donation up to $20. So if they give $20 to two candidates in the same race, we will match whoever collected the donation first. If they give $15 to one candidate and $5 to another candidate, we will match both donations, since the total was still at or under $20.
Our office will direct deposit the funds into the candidate's account.. It is a fast and responsive process that allows candidates to access their funds quickly.
- Mayoral candidates can earn up to $300,000 in matching funds. In the General, mayoral candidates can raise up to $450,000 in matching funds
- Commissioner and Auditor candidates can raise up to $200,000 in matching funds, and another $240,000 in the runoff.
Step 7: Return unused public funds
After the election, candidates must return any unspent public funds to the Office of Small Donor Elections. Candidates need to pay outstanding expenses and then return unspent public funds. This is calculated proportionally.
Here is the form that candidates must provide to return unspent public funds.