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Public Financing Information

Information for voters on Public Financing in the City of Albuquerque

Elections powered by you. Funded together.

What is public financing?

In Albuquerque, candidates who qualify for public financing receive a lump-sum grant to run their campaigns—no big donors required. The funds come from the City’s Open and Ethical Elections Fund, built by and for the people of Albuquerque.

It’s how we keep elections fair, local, and focused on the issues that matter to our community.

It gives you a chance to run. 

Running for office shouldn’t be about who has the most money. It should be about who wants to make the biggest impact and help the most people.  

Why is the Public Finance Program important to Albuquerque?

The Public Financing Program:

  • Helps Burqeno's run for office.  
  • Means candidates answer to you. 
  • Bolsters transparency around campaign fundraising and spending. 
  • Gives your voice power beyond the voting booth. 
  • Creates a government as diverse as the people it represents. 

Did you know?  Albuquerque’s Public Financing Program helped support the campaign of the City’s first Black City Councilor—showing how public funding can open doors and build a more representative government.

What are Qualifying Contributions ($5)

A Qualifying Contribution is a $5 donation made in a candidate's name to the Open and Ethical Election Fund. These Contributions are non-refundable. To qualify for public financing, a candidate must collect and properly document 1% of Qualifying Contributions from registered voters in their district for City Council or Citywide for Mayor.

Collection periods:

  • Mayoral candidates: April 19, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. through June 21, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
  • City Council candidates: June 2, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. through July 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m

So, you contributed. What now?

Every campaign that receives public funds must provide details about how the money was spent, which lets you keep track of every dollar of campaign spending.

At the Office of the City Clerk, our goal is to make sure candidates are accountable to Albuquerque, and that public funds are spent responsibly.

But don’t just take it from us. You can track contributions and more with our Campaign Finance Reporting System.

Guides and Helpful Information

Are qualifying contributions verified?

The Office of the City Clerk verifies Qualifying Contributions each week during the qualifying
period.

  • Contributions collected outside the allowed timeframe will be rejected.
  • Violations may be referred to the Board of Ethics.

Are qualifying contributions audited door to door?

Yes. The Office of Internal Audit (OIA) examines Qualifying Contributions during the qualifying period. Once the Office of the City Clerk verifies the Qualifying Contributions, OIA begins their audit. The audit process includes the following steps:

  1. Sample Selection: Each week during the qualifying period, OIA selects a designated percentage of paper Qualifying Contributions from that week’s submissions for each applicant candidate. This percentage does not exceed 5% of the minimum Qualifying Contributions required.
  2. Verification Process: Teams of two auditors will visit the residence listed on the Qualifying Contribution receipt to verify the following:
    • The contributor’s name as listed on the receipt.
    • The contributor’s residence at the provided address.
    • The authenticity of the signature on the Qualifying Contribution.
    • That the contributor personally provided the $5 Qualifying Contribution.
  3. Attempts to Verify:
    • Auditors will make three attempts to verify each selected Qualifying Contribution.
    • If verification fails (for example, auditors cannot access gated communities), they will
      select replacement samples using the same criteria.
    • Custom doorknob hangers with callback instructions will be left at the residence. These
      will allow contributors to confirm their Qualifying Contribution by phone.

If the Office of Internal Audit is unable to verify the Qualifying Contribution, the City Clerk will reject the contribution and notify the candidate of its decision.

A Brief History of the Public Financing Program

Albuquerque's Public Financing Program is created in 2005

In 2007, the Open and Ethical Election Fund is created

In 2016, the Mayoral distribution increased to $1.75

In 2019, the seed money increased to $250 and Mayoral distribution increased to $1.75