City Council Candidates Eligible for Public Financing

Published on September 30, 2026

On August 10, 2026, the Public Ethics Commission reinstated the Limited Public Financing (LPF) Program. Enacted in 1999 and updated in 2022, the Limited Public Financing Act was designed to help level the playing field for candidates running for District City Council. Rather than providing funds upfront, this Program reimburses for eligible campaign expenses. 

Participation for 2026 is limited to qualified candidates in the November ballot running for City Council in Districts 2, 4, and 6, and does not apply to mayoral candidates or OUSD school board. To be eligible, a candidate must have at least one opponent in the race and commit to participating in at least one public debate or candidate forum. For the first time since the program started, this year’s election campaign fund was sufficient to provide the maximum amount of money to all eligible and qualifying candidates.