What's New

The Oakland Campaign Reform Act (OCRA) requires the Public Ethics Commission (PEC) to increase the limits on campaign contributions every other year to reflect changes in the cost of living. The Oakland Fair Elections Act requires the Commission to increase voluntary spending limits for campaigns and the maximum Democracy Dollars proceeds per candidate similarly. On January 29, 2025, the following limits took effect: 

Effective January 29, the following contribution limits apply to all candidates for City of Oakland and Oakland Unified School District offices, including candidates running in the April 15, 2025, Special Election and the November 3, 2026, Regular Election. 

*Not all political action committees qualify as broad-based committees. A broad-based political committee must meet all the following conditions:

1. In existence for more than six months,
2. Receive contributions from 100 or more persons, and
3. Make contributions to five or more candidates.

Annual contributions made to City of Oakland or Oakland Unified School District officeholder accounts are subject to the same contribution limits that apply to candidate committees.

Availability of public financing for the 2026 election will be announced after adoption of the FY 25-27, which is expected by July 1, 2025. Oakland's public financing programs, including the Limited Public Financing Program and the new Democracy Dollars Program, are not funded for the 2025 or 2026 elections currently. However, the Commission also adjusts voluntary spending limits and the maximum amount of Democracy Dollars proceeds for participating candidates every other year, as required by the Oakland Campaign Act and Oakland Fair Elections Act.

Since no public financing is currently funded for future elections, the Voluntary Spending Limits are for candidate information only.

To be eligible for public finaning, candidates must agree to Voluntary Spending Limits. The 2025-2026 Voluntary Spending Limits are below.

The availability Democracy Dollars public financing for the 2026 election will be determined by the FY25-27 budget, which is expected to be adopted by July 1, 2025. The City of Oakland is implementing a new public financing program, Democracy Dollars, for future Oakland elections. Under this Program, participating candidates may receive public funds in form of Democracy Dollars vouchers contributed by eligible Oakland residents. The maximum amount of Democracy Dollars proceeds that a candidate may receive is based on the office a candidate runs for as listed below.

To participate in the Democracy Dollars public financing program, candidates must limit their use of personal funds to no more than 8 percent of the Voluntary Spending Limit for their office or $20,000, whichever is lower.

To participate in the Democracy Dollars Program, candidates cannot knowingly solicit contributions for a committee or any other person or entity that has made or will make independent expenditures to support or oppose a candidate for City office.

Measure W (2022) includes new disclaimer requirements that must be incorporated in all campaign, officeholder, or legal defense communications. The disclaimer must include “Paid for by” immediately followed by the name, address, and city of that candidate or committee, and the committee identification number provided by the California Fair Political Practices Commission, if applicable. The address and city are not required in an audio communication.

It must also state that “Funding details are available on the Oakland Public Ethics Commission’s website.” All disclaimers must be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner to give the reader, observer, or listener adequate notice. See Oakland Campaign Reform Act Section 3.12.200 for specific disclaimer details.

Any candidate or committee that uses social media accounts to disseminate political communications must include the following statement on each account’s home page:

This account is being used for campaign purposes by [name of candidate or committee].

If an elected City officeholder communicates about campaign activity or City business using a social media account or website that is not City sponsored, the home page for the account or site must include the following statement:

This [account or site] is not paid for, sponsored by, or hosted by the City of Oakland.

Please refer to Oakland Campaign Reform Act Section 3.12.220 for full information about social media requirements.

The Oakland Campaign Reform Act requires that any committee or person required by state law to file a 24-hour or 10-day Late Independent Expenditure Report (FPPC Form 496) with the Public Ethics Commission also submit a Supplemental Independent Expenditure Disclosure (OCRA Form 305). Go to the online form.
 

In November 2023, the Oakland City Council adopted amendments to the Lobbyist Registration Act (LRA). Notable changes to the LRA include a new annual lobbyist registration fee as well as a requirement that lobbyists take an online training provided by the Public Ethics Commission (PEC). See the full text of the Lobbyist Registration Act to read all of the recent amendments.

Beginning in 2024, the Lobbyist Registration Act requires lobbyists to pay an annual registration fee of $500 if the lobbyist registers between January 1 and June 30 or $250 if the local governmental lobbyist registers between July 1 and December 31. Registration is valid for the duration of the calendar year in which the registration fee is paid. Lobbyists must re-register annually during the month of January and pay the applicable registration fee.

Lobbyist Registration Fee Waiver or Reduction

The LRA allows the PEC to waive or reduce the lobbyist registration fee for lobbyists who meet certain criteria. Lobbyist registration fees will be waived for a lobbyist who:

1. is a salaried employee, officer, or director of an organization or association that is exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. Sections 501(c)(3) and that received less than $750,000 in gross receipts; and
2. is exclusively representing that organization.

Lobbyist registration fees will be reduced for a local governmental lobbyist who:

1. is a salaried employee, officer, or director of any corporation, organization or association that received less than $200,000 in gross receipts or gross income; and
2. is exclusively representing that corporation, organization or association.

The Public Ethics Commission may require that a local governmental lobbyist submit proof of an employer’s gross receipts or gross income to receive the fee reduction or fee waiver.

Quarterly disclosure reports are now due no later than the last day of the month following the end of the quarter, rather than 30 days after the end of the quarter. This change will provide a consistent end-of-the-next-month filing deadline for all lobbyist reports. For example, lobbying disclosure reports for the fourth quarter of 2023, which ends on December 31, will now be due on January 31, 2024, instead of January 30, 2024.

If any lobbyist fails to submit any information required by the Lobbyist Registration Act after any applicable deadline, the Public Ethics Commission will impose a late filing fee of $10 per day after the deadline until the information is received by the Public Ethics Commission or the total amount of late fees reach $1,000.

To ensure lobbyists are aware of, and comply with, city laws relating to lobbying, all lobbyists must complete the PEC’s lobbyist training within 60 days of the lobbyist’s initial registration. Thereafter, local governmental lobbyists must complete additional training sessions as required by the Public Ethics Commission. The training will be provided by the PEC in the form of an online video recording, beginning in January of 2024. The Public Ethics Commission may invalidate a registration for failure to comply with training requirements.

Measure W also increased post-employment restrictions on former City officials. An officer of the City or person who has held the postion of department head or budget director cannot act as a government lobbyist for a period of two years after leaving office.