City clerk explains Berkeley Election Reform Act and how local rules differ from state law

Mark Newmanville, Berkeley city clerk, opened a public workshop by laying out the local law that governs campaign finance in the city.

"Well, it was a initiative ordinance that was passed all the way back in 1974," Newmanville said, describing the Berkeley Election Reform Act and noting it is codified in chapter 2.12 of the municipal code. He told attendees that the law established Berkeley's Fair Campaign Practices Commission to administer and enforce local rules and that the commission can adopt regulations that carry the force of law.

Why it matters: Newmanville emphasized that candidates and committees must follow both state and local rules. "There's kind of 2 levels here," he said, explaining that BERA supplements but does not replace the State Political Reform Act, and that some local provisions (like contribution and itemization thresholds) are stricter than state law.

The city clerk's office also fields routine compliance questions and provides resources on the campaign finance web page, Newmanville said. The presentation noted the state's Fair Political Practices Commission produces manuals and advice letters that remain useful for local filers.

The clerk's overview set the workshop's focus on practical compliance steps for committees that expect to raise or spend $1,000 or more and for ballot-measure committees that operate under different limits and disclosure rules.