SEC. 1.154. INSUFFICIENT FUNDS IN ELECTION CAMPAIGN FUND.
§ 1.154
The Ethics Commission must check whether San Francisco's Election Campaign Fund has enough money to provide $7.50 per resident for mayoral elections or $1.50 per resident for Board of Supervisors elections (each plus 15% for administrative costs), and may request additional funding from the Board and Mayor if the fund falls short.
Before each mayoral or Board of Supervisors election, the city checks whether the Election Campaign Fund has enough money set aside. For mayor races, the target is $7.50 per San Francisco resident (plus 15% extra for running costs). For supervisor races, the target is $1.50 per resident (plus 15% extra). If the fund doesn't have enough, the Ethics Commission can ask the Board of Supervisors and Mayor to add more money. This check doesn't apply to elections held to fill a vacancy partway through a term.
- Complex:The section involves calculations (per-resident amounts, percentage deductions, timing), cross-references to other Charter sections, and parallel structures for two different election types that require careful parsing.
- Controversial:Public funding of elections and the appropriate spending level per resident are subjects of legitimate political disagreement in San Francisco.
AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.
Official text
(a) REPORT BY CONTROLLER. At the request of the Ethics Commission, the Controller shall provide a statement of the total amount of funds in the Election Campaign Fund.
(b) INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.
(1) Elections for Mayor. No later than August 1 before an election for Mayor, the Executive Director shall notify the Commission and the Board of Supervisors whether $7.50 per resident, after subtracting 15% for the administrative expenses provided under Section 1.138(b)(2), exists in the Election Campaign Fund. If $7.50 per resident, plus 15% for administrative expenses, does not exist in the Election Campaign Fund, the Commission may, in accordance with the fiscal provisions of the Charter, request a supplemental appropriation from the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor to provide additional funding to the Election Campaign Fund so that $7.50 per resident, plus 15% for administrative expenses, exists in the fund for the upcoming election. This requirement shall not apply to any election held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of a term.
(2) Elections for the Board of Supervisors. No later than August 1 before an election for the Board of Supervisors, the Executive Director shall notify the Commission and the Board of Supervisors whether $1.50 per resident, after subtracting 15% for the administrative expenses provided under Section 1.138(b)(2), exists in the Election Campaign Fund. If $1.50 per resident, plus 15% for administrative expenses, does not exist in the Election Campaign Fund, the Commission may, in accordance with the fiscal provisions of the Charter, request a supplemental appropriation from the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor to provide additional funding to the Election Campaign Fund so that $1.50 per resident, plus 15% for administrative expenses, exists in the fund for the upcoming election. This requirement shall not apply to any election held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of a term.
(Added by Proposition O, 11/7/2000; amended by Ord. 141-03, File No. 030034, App. 6/27/2003; Ord. 31-06, File No. 051773, App. 2/23/2006; Ord. 268-07, File No. 071003, App. 11/26/2007; Ord. 64-12, File No. 111082, App. 4/20/2012, Eff. 5/20/2012)