Campaign Finance and the Fair Elections Fund

Campaign finance data at your fingertips

Follow the money: Search campaign finance records for local candidates and ballot issues. Explore the options below to see how SearchLight Denver brings a new dimension of transparency to Denver elections.

Candidates

Find information about contributions and expenditures for local candidates.

Ballot Issues

Learn how funds are raised and spent by committees for ballot issues.

Transactions

Search expenditure and contribution transactions for local campaigns.

Approved by Denver voters in November 2018, the Fair Elections Fund provides public matching funds to candidates for municipal offices. The fund matches donations of $50 or less at a 9-to-1 ratio for candidates who agree to raise money in lower amounts and take contributions only from individuals and small donor committees.

Information on which candidates have filed to participate in the Fair Elections Fund for the 2027 election cycle can be found on the Candidate and Initiative Tracker.

Fair Elections Fund candidates must fill out their intent to seek certification through their SearchLight Denver account. Read the Campaign Finance Manual(PDF, 1MB) for more details.

SearchLight Denver contains all campaign finance data submitted since 2012. 

Legacy campaign finance data between 2002 and 2022 can be accessed here. 

Candidate Committees

Candidates must register their committees via SearchLight Denver, where they will report contribution and expenditure information. In addition to registering their committee in SearchLight, candidates must file the candidate affidavit, treasurer affidavit, and candidate financial disclosure forms within 10 days of becoming a candidate. These forms can be found on the “Get on the Ballot” page or in SearchLight Denver. Forms may be submitted to campaignfinance@denvergov.org or delivered to Denver Election Division at 200 W 14^th Ave, Denver, CO 80204.

Small Donor Committees, Political Action Committees and Issue Committees

Non-candidate committees also register their committees and report contribution and expenditure information via SearchLight Denver. These committees must name a treasurer and file a treasurer affidavit within 10 days of their creation. The treasurer affidavit can be found on the “Get on the Ballot” page or in SearchLight Denver. The affidavit may be submitted to campaignfinance@denvergov.org or delivered to Denver Election Division at 200 W 14th Ave, Denver, CO 80204.

A person who wishes to report an independent expenditure or electioneering communication must create a SearchLight Denver account. All required reports for independent expenditure and electioneering communications will be filed through this portal. 

Individual contribution limits for municipal candidates for the 2027 election cycle are listed below. The limits have been adjusted for inflation in line with Election Rule 3.1.

A Denver small donor committee (SDC) may contribute 10 times the individual limits below. A Denver political action committee (PAC) may contribute the individual limit to candidates not participating in the Fair Elections Fund. State and federal PACs and SDCs may not contribute to any Denver candidate without prior registration with the Office of the Denver Clerk and Recorder.

Direct any questions regarding allowable campaign contributions to campaignfinance@denvergov.org. 

Campaign Finance Manual(PDF, 852KB)

Updated March 2025. Read for general guidance on raising and spending campaign dollars, as well as how to comply with state statutes, local election law, and Fair Elections Fund rules. 

2025 Campaign Finance Calendar(PDF, 255KB)

See important filing and reporting deadlines.

Filer Guide(PDF, 2MB)

A user guide for individuals who will use SearchLight Denver to file campaign finance reports.

Public Guide(PDF, 994KB)

A user guide for individuals who will use SearchLight Denver to search campaign finance reports.

SOS campaign finance information

SOS online reporting system (TRACER)

Colorado Revised Statutes lookup

SOS rules on campaign finance