Denver’s revised campaign finance ordinance now prohibits anonymous donations to candidates running for elected office.

The new ordinance clarifies requirements for neutral debates, updates requirements for neutral hearing officers, lists prohibited expenditures for FEF money, and tweaks language to improve readability and accessibility.

The City Council approved the changes at its Tuesday meeting.

“I appreciate the collaborative work between our office and the council on this bill,” City Clerk Paul López said in a statement. “This legislation honors the spirit of the Fair Elections Fund and increases transparency and accountability in Denver elections as the voters intended.”

While the number of changes to the code could qualify for a “repeal and replace,” District 5 Councilmember Amanda Sawyer told members of the Finance and Governance Committee that the Denver Clerk’s office asked for a “strike-through” instead because the Fair Elections Fund was approved by voters.

District 9 Councilmember Darrell Watson described the previous version as scattered, confusing and cumbersome.

He added the code was not an easy read, and candidates — including himself — have had a hard time understanding and navigating its complexities to ensure proper campaign compliance.

“These revisions are part of a routine cleanup process, implementing lessons learned from the previous election cycle,” said Watson along with his bill co-sponsor Sawyer in a joint statement. “The policies are designed to ensure that Denver’s elections code is clear for future candidates and ensures that the Fair Elections Fund remains an effective and equitable tool to support all candidates.”

Approved by voters in 2018, Denver’s Fair Elections Fund aims to reduce the influence of money in politics and encourage broader participation in local elections. The program lowers donation limits for all candidates, bans contributions from businesses and LLCs, and provides public matching funds to qualifying candidates who agree to lower contribution limits.

According to the Denver Clerk’s Office, the fund distributed $7.7 million to 47 candidates during the 2023 election. Under the program, donations from Denver residents up to $50 are matched at a 9-to-1 ratio, meaning a $50 contribution can be matched with up to $450 in public funds.

The next disbursement from the Fair Elections Fund will be in 2026, ahead of Denver’s 2027 municipal election.

NOTE:  This story was updated to remove outdated information regarding FEF.