SR City Council To Consider Voluntary Campaign Expenditure Limits

SAN RAMON, CA — The San Ramon City Council will consider resolutions to limit both voluntary candidate statements and voluntary campaign expenditure limits for the 2024 election at their Tuesday meeting.

Candidate statements: The city works with Contra Costa County to print candidate statements. The county charges a flat rate for a maximum of 250 words, but candidates have been able to go up to 400 words. In the 2024 election, candidate statements of over 250 words cost $2,288 for the mayoral race, $780 for District 1, and $371 for District 3, according to a staff report. Candidates pay the total cost of the optional statement.

The Policy Committee decided in May to recommend that the city council set the limit to 400 words.

See here for more information.

Campaign expenditures: Courts have ruled that campaigns cannot be limited on how much they can spend unless the limits are voluntary. The San Ramon Municipal Code advocates voluntary campaign limits to curb undue influence by donors and decrease the cost of campaigns, according to a city staff report. For the past few elections, the city has instituted voluntary expenditure limits, which in 2022 amounted to $69,402 for the mayor, $31,427 for the District 2 councilmember, and $25,848 for District 4. District 2 and 4 both amounted to $2.35 per person.

In 2024, the proposed limits range from $65,244 to $100,376 for the mayor ($1.30 to $2 per registered voter); $12,105 for District 1 ($2-3 per registered voter), and $11,128 for District 3 ($2-3 per registered voter.) In May, the Policy Committee recommended a limit of $75,282 for the mayor ($1.50 per registered voter), $30,263 for District 1 and $27,820 for District 3 ($2.50 per registered voter.)

See the staff report for more information.

The council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. See here for the full agenda.