Scroll Top
Image of microphone against backdrop of a vote sign pinned to a stage curtain
""

Contributors

A contributor is a person who gives money, goods, or services to a candidate or committee without receiving equal or greater consideration in exchange.

REQUIREMENTS

Identification

A contributor is required to provide specific information when making a contribution, including the contributor’s name, address, occupation, and employer. A committee may not negotiate a contribution until after the contributor’s information is obtained, and it must report the information on its next Form 460.

For a City candidate who is participating in the matching funds program, a contributor is also required to certify that the contributor’s information is correct and that the address provided is the contributor’s residence address.

To comply with contribution limits, a candidate or committee may ask a contributor to complete an Aggregate Contribution Verification Form. This helps the candidate or committee determine whether two or more contributions must be aggregated and treated as having been made by the same person.

A City candidate is required to permit a contributor to certify that the contribution is legal, is not prohibited, and will not be reimbursed.

Certification

Candidates participating in public financing (matching funds program) are required to obtain contributor certification from all contributors. A contributor certification is a government form used to certify that a contributor’s information is correct. This includes confirmation that the address provided is the contributor’s residence address, the contribution is legal, not prohibited, and the contributor will not be reimbursed. Candidates not participating in public financing are encouraged, but not required to obtain certification from contributors.  Download a sample contributor certification form, under the "Contributor Information" section here.

Verification

Candidates may ask contributors to complete an Aggregate Contribution Verification Form when there is a possibility that two or more contributions might need to be aggregated.

LIMITATIONS

  • Prohibited Contributions

    Some contributions are prohibited. For example, the following persons may not offer or make a contribution of any amount to a City candidate:

    • A lobbyist or lobbying firm that is registered to lobby the office that the candidate seeks or holds.
    • Bidders, contractors, and underwriters on certain City contracts that must be approved by the office that the candidate seeks or holds.
    • A person in a City-owned building.
    • A foreign national

    The following persons may not offer or make a contribution of any amount to an LAUSD candidate:

    • A person when in a City-owned building.
    • A foreign national.
  • Money Laundering

    A person may not make a contribution in a name other than the person’s legal name. Political money laundering occurs whenever a contribution is attributed to someone other than the true source, including when a contributor reimburses a contribution made by someone else.

    The prohibition applies to everyone involved in the money laundering scheme. In the case of a reimbursed contribution, for example, this means that the true source of the contribution, the person in whose name the contribution was made, and the person who provided the reimbursement funds have all violated the law.

  • Contribution Limits

    City Candidate Committees

    2022 CPI Adjustments
    These amounts do not apply to the 2022 Primary Elections. They apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opens after March 1, 2022. They do not apply to LAUSD elections.

    2023 CPI Adjustments
    These amounts do not apply to the CD6 special election or the 2024 regular City elections. They apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opens after March 1, 2023. They do not apply to LAUSD elections.

    2024 CPI Adjustments
    These amounts apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opens after March 1, 2024. They do not apply to LAUSD elections.

    City Officeholder and Legal Defense Committees

    LAUSD Candidate Committees

    2022 Election Limits
    These amounts apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opened after April 23, 2020.

    CONTRIBUTION TYPE LIMIT AMOUNT
    Cash Contributions $30 per person, per election
    Non-cash Contributions $1,300 per person, per election
    Anonymous Contributions $300 in total, per election
    Loans $1,300 per person, per election

ELECTION TOTALS

WHAT DO I FILE?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For questions regarding specific scenarios, please contact us prior to taking action.

  • A candidate asked me to make a contribution to his campaign and said that I had to provide my name, address, occupation, and employer. Is that true?

    Yes. State and City laws require candidates to obtain this information from you before they negotiate your contribution and to report their information on their campaign disclosure statements. City candidates who are participating in the matching funds program must also obtain from you a certification that the information provided is accurate and that the address is your residence address.

  • My employer asked me to make a contribution to a candidate and then reimbursed me. Is that okay?

    No. That is considered political money laundering and is prohibited by law.

  • Can my spouse and I both make contributions to the same candidate?

    Yes. Contributions made by spouses are treated independently and are not aggregated.

  • I am the sole proprietor of a business. Can I make a maximum contribution to a candidate from my business account and a maximum contribution to the same candidate from my personal account?


    No. City law treats your contributions and your business’s contributions as being made from one person, because you control your business assets. When added together, contributions from you and your business to a single candidate may not exceed the per-person contribution limit.

  • I am a partner that owns 25 percent of a partnership business. Can I make a personal contribution along with the firm’s contribution?

    Yes, unless you control the firm’s expenditures. If you owned 50 percent or more of the partnership business, your contribution and the firm’s contribution to a single would be aggregated and could not exceed the per-person contribution limit.

  • I am a city employee. Can I make a contribution to a City candidate?

    Yes. However, you may not deliver the contribution in City Hall or other City-owned property. In addition, you may not engage in campaign activity on City time or using City resources.

  • I have a $150,000 contract with the City, which was awarded three years ago. Can I make a contribution to a City candidate?

    Possibly. The prohibition on contributions from contractors lasts for 12 months after the contract is awarded. Assuming that, in the last 12 months, you have not entered into a new City contract that is valued at $100,000 or more and requires approval by an elected office, you may contribute to a City candidate.

  • I was registered to lobby the City Council during the last election and could not make a contribution, but I am not currently a lobbyist. Can I make a contribution now?

    Yes. If you do not qualify as a lobbyist, you may make a contribution to a City candidate or officeholder.

  • I served as a volunteer on a candidate’s phone bank. Is that considered a contribution?

    No. Giving your own personal or professional services to a campaign is not considered a contribution. However, it may be a contribution for an employer to provide an employee’s services to a campaign.

PUBLIC DATA PORTAL

ZZ

REQUIREMENTS

Identification

A contributor is required to provide specific information when making a contribution, including the contributor’s name, address, occupation, and employer. A committee may not negotiate a contribution until after the contributor’s information is obtained, and it must report the information on its next Form 460.

For a City candidate who is participating in the matching funds program, a contributor is also required to certify that the contributor’s information is correct and that the address provided is the contributor’s residence address.

To comply with contribution limits, a candidate or committee may ask a contributor to complete an Aggregate Contribution Verification Form. This helps the candidate or committee determine whether two or more contributions must be aggregated and treated as having been made by the same person.

A City candidate is required to permit a contributor to certify that the contribution is legal, is not prohibited, and will not be reimbursed.

Certification

Candidates participating in public financing (matching funds program) are required to obtain contributor certification from all contributors. A contributor certification is a government form used to certify that a contributor’s information is correct. This includes confirmation that the address provided is the contributor’s residence address, the contribution is legal, not prohibited, and the contributor will not be reimbursed. Candidates not participating in public financing are encouraged, but not required to obtain certification from contributors.  Download a sample contributor certification form, under the "Contributor Information" section here.

Verification

Candidates may ask contributors to complete an Aggregate Contribution Verification Form when there is a possibility that two or more contributions might need to be aggregated.

??

LIMITATIONS

  • Prohibited Contributions

    Some contributions are prohibited. For example, the following persons may not offer or make a contribution of any amount to a City candidate:

    • A lobbyist or lobbying firm that is registered to lobby the office that the candidate seeks or holds.
    • Bidders, contractors, and underwriters on certain City contracts that must be approved by the office that the candidate seeks or holds.
    • A person in a City-owned building.
    • A foreign national

    The following persons may not offer or make a contribution of any amount to an LAUSD candidate:

    • A person when in a City-owned building.
    • A foreign national.
  • Money Laundering

    A person may not make a contribution in a name other than the person’s legal name. Political money laundering occurs whenever a contribution is attributed to someone other than the true source, including when a contributor reimburses a contribution made by someone else.

    The prohibition applies to everyone involved in the money laundering scheme. In the case of a reimbursed contribution, for example, this means that the true source of the contribution, the person in whose name the contribution was made, and the person who provided the reimbursement funds have all violated the law.

  • Contribution Limits

    City Candidate Committees

    2022 CPI Adjustments
    These amounts do not apply to the 2022 Primary Elections. They apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opens after March 1, 2022. They do not apply to LAUSD elections.

    2023 CPI Adjustments
    These amounts do not apply to the CD6 special election or the 2024 regular City elections. They apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opens after March 1, 2023. They do not apply to LAUSD elections.

    2024 CPI Adjustments
    These amounts apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opens after March 1, 2024. They do not apply to LAUSD elections.

    City Officeholder and Legal Defense Committees

    LAUSD Candidate Committees

    2022 Election Limits
    These amounts apply to City elections in which the fundraising window for the primary election opened after April 23, 2020.

    CONTRIBUTION TYPE LIMIT AMOUNT
    Cash Contributions $30 per person, per election
    Non-cash Contributions $1,300 per person, per election
    Anonymous Contributions $300 in total, per election
    Loans $1,300 per person, per election
??

WHAT DO I FILE?

??

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For questions regarding specific scenarios, please contact us prior to taking action.

  • A candidate asked me to make a contribution to his campaign and said that I had to provide my name, address, occupation, and employer. Is that true?

    Yes. State and City laws require candidates to obtain this information from you before they negotiate your contribution and to report their information on their campaign disclosure statements. City candidates who are participating in the matching funds program must also obtain from you a certification that the information provided is accurate and that the address is your residence address.

  • My employer asked me to make a contribution to a candidate and then reimbursed me. Is that okay?

    No. That is considered political money laundering and is prohibited by law.

  • Can my spouse and I both make contributions to the same candidate?

    Yes. Contributions made by spouses are treated independently and are not aggregated.

  • I am the sole proprietor of a business. Can I make a maximum contribution to a candidate from my business account and a maximum contribution to the same candidate from my personal account?


    No. City law treats your contributions and your business’s contributions as being made from one person, because you control your business assets. When added together, contributions from you and your business to a single candidate may not exceed the per-person contribution limit.

  • I am a partner that owns 25 percent of a partnership business. Can I make a personal contribution along with the firm’s contribution?

    Yes, unless you control the firm’s expenditures. If you owned 50 percent or more of the partnership business, your contribution and the firm’s contribution to a single would be aggregated and could not exceed the per-person contribution limit.

  • I am a city employee. Can I make a contribution to a City candidate?

    Yes. However, you may not deliver the contribution in City Hall or other City-owned property. In addition, you may not engage in campaign activity on City time or using City resources.

  • I have a $150,000 contract with the City, which was awarded three years ago. Can I make a contribution to a City candidate?

    Possibly. The prohibition on contributions from contractors lasts for 12 months after the contract is awarded. Assuming that, in the last 12 months, you have not entered into a new City contract that is valued at $100,000 or more and requires approval by an elected office, you may contribute to a City candidate.

  • I was registered to lobby the City Council during the last election and could not make a contribution, but I am not currently a lobbyist. Can I make a contribution now?

    Yes. If you do not qualify as a lobbyist, you may make a contribution to a City candidate or officeholder.

  • I served as a volunteer on a candidate’s phone bank. Is that considered a contribution?

    No. Giving your own personal or professional services to a campaign is not considered a contribution. However, it may be a contribution for an employer to provide an employee’s services to a campaign.

??

PUBLIC DATA PORTAL

Search Former Website: Campaign | Lobbying

RESOURCES
Los Angeles City home website

© 2024. All rights reserved.

Ethics Commission