The City of Fort Collins recognizes multiple types of committees for municipal elections: candidate committees, issue committees that support or oppose ballot measures, small-scale issue committees with spending under $2,500, and political committees that support or oppose candidates.
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Any person who plans to accept contributions or make expenditures must register a candidate committee prior to accepting or spending funds.
What is an Issue Committee?
In Fort Collins municipal elections, an "issue committee" is:
- Two or more persons who are elected, appointed or chosen, or have associated themselves, and that take steps in furtherance of an intent to accept contributions or contributions in kind, or make expenditures, to support or oppose any ballot issue or ballot question; or
- Any person that takes steps in furtherance of an intent to accept contributions or contributions in kind for the purpose of supporting or opposing any ballot issue or ballot question; or
- Any persons or associated persons upon making independent expenditures of $2,500 or more for the purpose of supporting or opposing any ballot issue or ballot question.
"Person" is defined as any individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization or other organization or groups of persons.
Fort Collins' definition of "issue committee" is different from the Fair Campaign Practices Act and may be different from other municipalities.
Issue Committee Rules and Requirements
- Issue committees cannot give money to other committees or candidates.
- Issue committees cannot coordinate spending with other committees.
- All issue committees must register with the City Clerk before accepting money or making expenses.
- Campaign Reporting Forms must be kept in Excel format and sent electronically as Excel files.
Campaign reporting forms now track Limited Liability Company (LLC) contributions. These rules don't apply to issue committees. You don't need to mark LLC contributions with an X or complete the last page.
Email campaign reporting forms to elections@fortcollins.gov. Forms are due by midnight Mountain Time on the due date. The Friday before election report is due at noon Mountain Time.
All issue committees must follow communication and "Paid For By" rules.
Registered Issue Committees
| Committee Name |
Purpose or Nature of Interest |
Contact |
| Yes to Natural Areas |
To pass a citizen's initiative that would continue the City of Fort Collins 1/4-cent Natural Areas sales tax into the future, without sunset. |
Linda Stanley, 970-214-1317, lindaraestanley@gmail.com |
| Friends of Hughes |
To pass a citizen's initiative to preserve and use the entire former Hughes Stadium property as a Natural Area. |
Melissa Rosas, 562-888-1487, mrosas50275@gmail.com |
What is a Small-Scale Issue Committee?
Small-scale issue committee means a committee otherwise meeting the definition of issue committee that has accepted contributions, contributions in kind or expenditures in an amount that does not exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). during an applicable election cycle for the major purpose of supporting or opposing any ballot issue or ballot question.
The following are each treated as a single small-scale issue committee:
- A small-scale issue committee that supports or opposes a common ballot measure if the committee is established, financed, or controlled by a single corporation or its subsidiaries;
- A small-scale issue committee that supports or opposes a common ballot measure if the committee is established, financed, maintained, or controlled by a single labor organization or the affiliated local units it directs; and
- A small-scale issue committee that supports or opposes a common ballot measure if the committee is established, financed, maintained, or controlled by substantially the same person, group of persons, or other organizations.
Small-Scale Issue Committee Rules and Requirements
Small-scale issue committees cannot give money to other committees or candidates. They cannot coordinate spending or share information with other committees. They cannot work around campaign contribution, spending or reporting limits in Chapter 7, Article V of the Fort Collins Municipal Code. They cannot accept money from non-U.S. residents, foreign governments or foreign corporations without state business authority, or anyone prohibited by the City Charter.
Registration
Committees spending $250 or less don't need to register or file reports. Committees spending between $250 and $2,500 must register with the City Clerk within 10 business days of exceeding $250.
Reporting
Small-scale committees don't need to report contributions or expenses as long as they stay under $2,500. If a committee exceeds $2,500, within 7 days it must report the status change to the City Clerk and report each contribution and expense with names, addresses and amounts.
Campaign Reporting Forms must be kept in Excel format and sent electronically.
Once a small-scale committee exceeds $2,500, it must follow all regular issue committee rules.
All small-scale issue committees must follow communication and "Paid For By" rules.
Small-Scale Issue Committee List
There are no small-scale committees currently registered.
What is a Political Committee?
In Fort Collins municipal elections, a "political committee" is:
- Two or more persons who are elected, appointed or chosen, or have associated themselves, and that take steps in furtherance of an intent to accept contributions, or contributions in kind, or make expenditures to support or oppose one or more candidates; or
- Any person that takes steps in furtherance of an intent to accept contributions or contributions in kind for the purpose of supporting or opposing one or more candidates; or
- Any person or associated persons upon making independent expenditures of $2,500 or more for the purpose of supporting or opposing one or more candidates.
"Person" is defined as any individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization or other organization or groups of persons. It is important to note that the definition of "political committee" for Fort Collins municipal elections is different than the definition contained in the Fair Campaign Practices Act and that may be used by other municipalities.
Political Committee Rules
Political committees can only make direct expenses. They cannot give money to other committees or candidates. They cannot coordinate spending with other committees. These rules are different from the Fair Campaign Practices Act and may be different from other municipalities.
Political Committee Requirements
All political committees must register with the City Clerk before accepting money or making expenses.
Campaign Reporting Forms may be filed electronically.
All political committees must follow communication and "Paid For By" rules.
Registered Committees
There are no political committees currently registered.