EXPENDITURE CEILING LIFTED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 RACE

The limit on spending by candidate committees has been lifted in the City Council District (CD) 4 race for the primary election that will be held on March 5, 2024. The expenditure ceiling was lifted as a result of independent spending by Firefighters for a Better Los Angeles Sponsored by United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112 (FBLA), which today reported $101,064 in independent spending to support candidate Ethan Weaver. To date, FBLA has reported a total of $180,757 in independent spending in the CD 4 race.

Candidates who participate in the City’s matching funds program must limit their campaign spending in both the primary and general elections. For the upcoming primary election, the expenditure ceiling is $618,000. The expenditure ceiling is lifted and no longer applies in a particular race when either of the following occurs: a candidate in that race who is not participating in the matching funds program spends more than the expenditure ceiling; or independent spending to support or oppose a single candidate in that race totals more than a certain dollar threshold. For the 2024 elections, the independent spending threshold is $99,000.

Independent spending occurs when a person makes or incurs costs for one or more political communications that support or oppose a candidate or ballot measure and the communications are not coordinated with or authorized by a candidate. A person must currently report independent spending to the Ethics Commission within 24 hours of making or incurring qualifying costs. Copies of independent expenditure communications must also be provided.

Additional information about candidates, independent spending, and political communications in the 2024 elections is available on the Election Totals page at ethics.lacity.org/elections. Campaign activity and political communications may also be searched on the Public Data Portal at ethics.lacity.org/data.