Small Donor Elections program certifies 13 candidates for public matching funds in November election

Portland's Small Donor Elections program, the City's public campaign financing system, has certified 13 City Council candidates to receive public matching funds for the November 2026 election. 

The program has now certified all candidates who applied by the July 28 deadline, confirming that they have met program requirements and are eligible to receive matching funds. 

Ballot qualification is a separate process administered by the City Elections Division within the City Auditor's Office. More than 25 candidates are running for seven City offices in November: City Auditor, three City Council seats in District 3 and three City Council seats in District 4. View the register of current City of Portland candidates for the November 2026 election.

View 2026 Election Updates for Small Donor Elections Participants

Candidates certified by the Small Donor Elections program receive a 10-to-1 match on eligible contributions of up to $25. As of Aug. 17, the program has distributed $1,013,764 in matching funds. Candidates may continue collecting matchable contributions through Oct. 23—10 days before the Nov. 3 election.

This year's certification deadline was set one month earlier than in previous election cycles. The earlier deadline provided more time between Small Donor Elections certification and ballot placement, giving campaigns additional time to evaluate their viability, seek endorsements, conduct voter outreach, and plan campaign strategy. 

Campaign Contributions Dashboard

About the Small Donor Elections program

Launched in 2020, the Small Donor Elections program is Portland's public campaign financing program. It is designed to reduce candidates' reliance on large donors, encourage broader participation in financing local campaigns, prevent both corruption and the appearance of corruption, and promote a more participatory, inclusive, and accountable local democracy. 

Program data show that the average campaign contribution has declined from more than $300 before the program began to between $50 and $80. Program analysis also found that contributors at the $25 level generally reflect the demographics of the Portland community, while contributors below the $5 level reflect the community's economic diversity. 

View full size image of A graph showing a decline average and median contributions from more than $300 before the Small Donor Elections program began to between $50 and $80 currently.

_{*At the $25 level, contributors are demographically reflective of the whole community (except economically), while contributors above this amount rapidly skew to a small cross-section of the community.}

_{**Only under the $5 level are contributors reflective of the community economically.}

The Small Donor Elections program is overseen by the Portland Elections Commission, an independent body dedicated to evaluating how well the program supports fair, inclusive, and community‑powered campaign funding. The Commission gathers feedback from campaigns and community members, tracks long‑term indicators of democratic health, and recommends evidence‑based improvements following each election cycle. Nearly all recommended updates have been implemented, and the Commission continues to monitor emerging issues to ensure the program remains effective and equitable.

Learn more about Portland's Small Donor Elections program at Portland.gov/SmallDonorElections.