Campaign Statements
As the Campaign Filing Officer for San Rafael, the City Clerk’s office handles everything related to campaign filings. We provide current forms and manuals, ensure all required statements are filed, and make information available to the public. We also notify anyone who hasn’t filed their required statements.
Under the Political Reform Act, candidates and committees must file campaign statements and reports to keep voters informed about contributions and expenditures. These reports use forms approved by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), a non-partisan group dedicated to fair and effective administration of the Act. The FPPC oversees campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and governmental ethics, with goals to ensure fair decision-making, promote transparency, and build public trust in the political system.
Independent Expenditures
An independent expenditure is money spent on communications, like billboards or ads, that support or oppose a specific candidate or measure. Importantly, these expenditures are made without coordination with the candidate or committee being affected. For more details, check out the California Fair Political Practices Commission website.