In a new report, MapLight delves into a thorough examination of campaign funding in the aftermath of the most expensive election in the history of San José, California, in 2022. Money in politics can have an outsized impact on who runs and who wins, from the state and federal level down to local contests, and San José is no exception.
Our analysis shows that campaign contributions have more than tripled since the last election, with most donations coming from high-dollar contributors and nearly half from non-resident donors.
Among many key findings, the report reveals:
- Campaign contributions more than tripled from 2018 to 2022. Total contributions were $1,901,028 in 2018, but rose to $7,021,227 in 2022.
- Most donations came from high-dollar contributors. People giving $500 or more contributed 81% of all funds received by candidates.
- Nearly half of all money came from non-residents. Donors who do not live in San José accounted for 48% of all contributions to candidates in the 2022 election cycle. Outside contributions still made up a significant portion of campaign funding.
- Donors from affluent neighborhoods tended to give more money to candidates. Contributions from more affluent zip codes were higher, on average, than contributions from lower income zip codes.
- Contributions from special interests were a significant portion of the total contributions. The share of total contributions from companies, political committees, and other organizations was 16% in 2022.
“With candidates so dependent on high-dollar fundraising, ordinary voters have less voice in who gets elected and whose interests elected officials prioritize,” said Daniel G. Newman, President of MapLight.
“The research is clear: wealthy special interests are drowning out the voices of communities during crucial election moments. We need to take a serious look at how we run elections, and champion public financing of elections through solutions like Democracy Dollars,” says Lucila Ortiz, Political Director at Working Partnerships U.S.A.
David Shor of Common Cause states, “The data confirm what community members and leaders have known for years – political money is concentrated in the hands of the few, not the many. Our leaders should be responsive to their everyday constituents, not special interests and major donors. We need solutions that empower every resident of San José and can help community-backed leaders run and win.”
Click here to read the full report: Campaign Funding in Silicon Valley: Spotlight on San José
MapLight
MapLight, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, has been developing and operating innovative technology in the public interest since our founding in 2005. They provide campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics disclosure solutions to state and local governments. They support transparency and believe that everyone deserves an equal voice in our democracy.
Common Cause
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. They are a solutions-driven organization with a network of democracy experts working at the state and local levels across the U.S. Their focus is on achieving pragmatic, common-sense solutions to strengthen democracy. The organization strives to ensure every vote is meaningful, advocating for equal representation of eligible voters, elections reflecting the people’s will, and a government that truly represents the citizens. Established in 1970 with 4,000 members, it has expanded to over 1.5 million members and supporters in 30 states and Washington, D.C
Working Partnerships USA
Working Partnerships USA is a 501c3 nonprofit focused on research, advocacy and building the political power of people of color, immigrants, women, low-income residents and workers. They’re committed to building inclusive regional economies where everyone has a good job, a home, access to care and a voice in their government. Their work is rooted in racial justice and labor rights, and driven by the urgent need to address the growing economic inequality in Silicon Valley, and its impact on working families, now and into the future.
