In the context of Fort Collins municipal elections, an "issue committee" is defined as:

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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.

It is important to note that the definition of "issue 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.

Issue committees are prohibited from making contributions to any other committee or to any candidate.

Issue committees are prohibited from coordinating its expenditures with any other committee.

All issue committees are required to register with the City Clerk before accepting contributions or making expenditures.

• Issue Committee Guidelines - Coming Soon
• Committee Registration Form    
• Campaign Reporting Forms (MUST be maintained in Excel format and submitted electronically as Excel files)
  • 35 day pre-election report
  • 21 day pre-election report
  • 14 day pre-election report
  • Friday before election report
  • 35 day post-election report
  • 70 day post-election report
  • Annual report 
  • Termination Report
• Important Dates (November 8, 2022 Special Election)

Campaign reporting forms now include methods for tracking contributions from Limited Liability Companies (LLCs). Those requirements do not apply to issue committees. Therefore, there is no need to mark contributions from an LLC with an X, and no need to complete the last page of the form.

Campaign reporting forms should be emailed to elections@fcgov.com, and are considered timely if filed no later than midnight Mountain Standard Time on the date due. The report due the Friday before the election is due at noon Mountain Standard Time.

All issue committees must adhere to requirements for communications and "Paid For By" statements laid out in City Code Chapter 7, Article V, Sec 7-140. 

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.  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;

b.  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

c.  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.

No small-scale issue committee shall make a contribution or contribution in kind to any other committee or to any candidate.

A small-scale issue committee shall not coordinate its expenditures or activities with, or share information with, any other committee and shall not conduct its campaign activities in a manner that has the effect of circumventing any restrictions or limitations on campaign contributions, expenditures or reporting set forth in Chapter 7, Article V of the Fort Collins Municipal Code.

No small-scale issue committee shall knowingly accept contributions or contributions in kind from any person who is not a citizen of the United States, from a foreign government or from any foreign corporation that does not have authority to transact business in this State pursuant to Article 115 of Title 7, C.R.S., or who is prohibited from contributing pursuant to the Charter of the City of Fort Collins.

• Registration of a small-scale issue committee:

  • Any small-scale issue committee that accepts contributions or contributions in kind or makes expenditures in an aggregate amount during any applicable election cycle that does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.) is not required to disclose or file reports about the contributions, contributions in kind or expenditures it has made or received or otherwise register as an issue committee in connection with accepting such contributions or contributions in kind or making such expenditures.

  • Any small-scale issue committee that accepts contributions or contributions in kind or makes expenditures in an aggregate amount during any applicable election cycle of between two hundred fifty dollars ($250.) and two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.) shall register with the City Clerk within ten (10) business days of the date on which the aggregate amount of contributions or expenditures exceeds two hundred fifty dollars ($250.). The registration required by this subparagraph must be on a form provided by the City Clerk and must include the following, together with any other information required to complete the registration form:

    • Committee Registration Form   

• Reporting Contributions

  • No small-scale issue committee described in the section above is required to disclose or report any contributions, contributions in kind or expenditures it has made or received, so long as it continues to meet the definition of small-scale issue committee.

  • Within seven (7) days of the date on which a small-scale issue committee accepts contributions or contributions in kind or makes expenditures in an aggregate amount during any applicable election cycle that exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.), the committee shall:

    • through its registered agent, report this change in the committee's status to the City Clerk; and

    • report to the City Clerk on an approved form, for each particular contribution, contribution in kind or expenditure accepted or made, the name and address of each person who has made such contribution or contribution in kind and the amount of each specific contribution, contribution in kind and expenditure accepted or made by the committee.

      • Campaign Reporting Forms (MUST be maintained in Excel format and submitted electronically as Excel files)
        • 35 day pre-election report
        • 21 day pre-election report
        • 14 day pre-election report
        • Friday before election report
        • 35 day post-election report
        • 70 day post-election report
        • Annual report 
        • Termination Report

  • Once any issue committee that began as a small-scale issue committee accepts contributions or contributions in kind or makes expenditures in an aggregate amount during any applicable election cycle that exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.), the committee shall from that point forward make disclosure of any contributions, contributions in kind or expenditures it accepts or makes not already reported and comply with all requirements under this Article applicable to issue committees.

• All small-scale issue committees must adhere to requirements for communications and "Paid For By" statements laid out in City Code Chapter 7, Article V, Sec 7-140. 

In the context of Fort Collins municipal elections, a "political committee" is defined as:

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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 committees can only make direct expenditures and are prohibited from making contributions to any other committee or candidates.

Political committees are prohibited from coordinating its expenditures with any other committee.

These restrictions are different than those contained in the Fair Campaign Practices Act and those that may be used by other municipalities.

All political committees are required to register with the City Clerk before accepting contributions or making expenditures.

• Political Committee Guidelines
• Committee Registration Form    
• Campaign Reporting Forms (May be filed electronically)
  • 35 day pre-election report
  • 21 day pre-election report
  • 14 day pre-election report
  • Friday before election report
  • 35 day post-election report
  • 70 day post-election report
  • Annual report 
  • Termination Report
• Important Dates

All political committees must adhere to requirements for communications and "Paid For By" statements laid out in City Code Chapter 7, Article V, Sec 7-140. 

There are currently no registered political committees.