The easiest thing we can do to ease ourselves into this is to ensure that we understand the rules surrounding fundraising and campaigns.
In the 2022 Candidates' Guide - Ontario municipal council and school board elections, there is a whole section about Campaign Financing (which we recommend you go through and absorb).
Still, today, we're only going to look specifically at the fundraising rules.
So here is the long and short of it:
A fundraising activity is an event or activity held by you or on your behalf that primarily aims to raise money for your campaign.
Candidates can only hold fundraisers during the campaign period (which we're in the thick of now, so go for it!)
There are specific guidelines for selling goods or offering services in exchange for campaign donations.
The total ticket price is considered a contribution if you sell tickets to an event. If the ticket is higher than $25, it cannot be paid for with cash. You must issue receipts to each person who purchases a ticket.
If you sell goods or services for more than the fair market value (i.e. you sell a coffee mug for $50, with the proceeds of the sale going towards your campaign), then the difference between the market value of the good or service you sold and the amount paid is what is considered the donation. Anything sold for under $25 or less does not count as a contribution.
According to the Candidates' Guide, the donation buttons on websites or a sentence on campaign brochures that advises people on how they can donate do not count as fundraising.
Contribution limits ($1200 for individuals other than yourself and your spouse) still apply. All contributions over $25 must be made by cheque, money order or by a method that shows where the funds came from (debit, credit, e-transfer, etc.) You also need to issue contribution receipts and keep records accordion to the Campaign finance section of the Candidates' Guide.
The spending limit for your campaign is calculated based on the number of electors who are eligible to vote for the office that you're running for:
For head of council: $7,500 + $0.85 per eligible elector
For council members or trustee: $5,000 + $0.85 per eligible elector
So let's do a few examples:
You live in Sudbury. You’re running for mayor. In 2018, there were 115,784 eligible voters in Greater Sudbury. Your initial budget is $7,000 + $98,416.40 for a total of $105,416.40.
You live in Sault Ste Marie. You’re running for mayor. In 2018, there were 55,261 eligible voters in Sault Ste Marie. Your initial budget is $7,000 + $46,971.85 for a total of $53,971.85.
You live in Sudbury. You’re running for councillor of Ward 1. In 2018, there were 9,055 eligible voters in your ward. Your initial budget is $5,000 + $7,696.75 for a total of $12,696.75
Knowing your budget will allow you to know what you need to fundraise and start building a plan to get you there.
Time To Fundraise
Let's be real here – you may be looking at the spending threshold and thinking, "That's nothing. I can get there myself."
You might be tempted to self-fund most of your campaign. Our biggest piece of advice is this:
Don’t do it!
Fundraising can be intimidating. Asking the people you know for money can be heavy. But don't go into debt to run for office. While the spending limit can look intimidating, remember: just because that's the limit doesn't mean that's what you have to spend.
So sit down and list what you will need to run this campaign. This list will differ depending on which office you're running for. For example, you won't need to spend the same on gas to cover canvassing ground if you're running for mayor vs. council. Your must-have list for what you need to run for office may be different than someone else's. Two candidates may disagree on whether or not they need lawn signs, for example. Consider how long the campaign period is and what your goals are. Also, ensure that you look into the municipal election rebates that may be available to you, depending on where you live, so that you can access those funds and don't need to worry about fundraising.
And then start crunching numbers.
That is what you'll want to aim for in fundraising. And there are plenty of ways that you can get there.
