May 1, 2023
To: Members of the Ethics Commission
From: Linda Fong, Audit and Compliance Review Manager; Robb Hodge, Auditor
Subject: Agenda Item 6 – San Francisco Public Campaign Financing Program Report – November 8, 2022 Election
Summary and Action Requested
This memorandum provides a programmatic update on the use of the San Francisco public financing program in the November 8, 2022, election.
No action is required by the Commission, as this item is for informational purposes only.
Background
The San Francisco Ethics Commission administers a public campaign financing program for qualifying candidates running for Mayor or Supervisor. The San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code requires that “following each election at which the Mayor or members of the Board of Supervisors are elected, the Ethics Commission shall submit a report to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors” that provides certain information about the use of the public financing program in that election.[1] In the November 8, 2022, election, voters elected members of the Board of Supervisors representing Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. As described more fully in the attached report, five of the 11 Supervisorial candidates who qualified to appear on the ballot (45%) participated in the public financing program. A total of $1.15 million was distributed to the candidates through the program.
The information presented in the report is drawn from disclosure statements and forms filed by candidate campaign committees and independent committees covering activity through the period ending December 31, 2022, the last regularly scheduled disclosure period, and from Commission records of public funds disbursements to participating candidates. The concluding section of the report provides general observations about public financing in the 2022 election. Appendix 1 of the report provides high-level historical data regarding the public financing program in Supervisorial elections since 2002.
This item has been included in the agenda to share information about the use of the public financing program in the November 8, 2022, election.
Attachments
Attachment 1: San Francisco Public Campaign Financing Program Report November 8, 2022 Election
[1] Campaign & Gov. Conduct Code § 1.156.