Individuals running for mayor and City Council can voluntarily pledge to place limits on personal contributions to their own campaigns and on campaign expenditures. In Salt Lake City, personal contributions can be limited to $75,000 and total campaign expenditures can be limited to $375,000 for those running for mayor, and lesser amounts for those seeking seats on the City Council. The pledge can make elections more competitive and open to more residents of the city by having candidates start the race closer to the starting line.
However, candidates are not beholden by city ordinance to keep their promises, as the city code allows candidates to reverse their pledge if rival candidates or independent groups do not observe the same limits.