For Candidates
- View our Candidate
Manual (.PDF) that describes the principles and procedures
of the Fair Campaign Practices for the Capital Region.
- Sign the Fair Campaign Practices Pledge
(.PDF)
- View the Fair Campaign Practices Complaint Decisions
from prior years.
Tips for Candidates: How to Avoid Committing an Unfair Campaign
Practice
1. Agree to appear on the same platform with your opponent to engage
in debate over the issues in the campaign. If your district is very
large you should agree to debates in several locations.
2. If you are not the incumbent you should use the words “for”
or “elect” before the name of the office for which you
are running, so that you do not give the false impression that you
are an incumbent.
3. If you were appointed to your position, do not ask to be “re-elected”.
4. Be very careful when using the word “only”, e.g.
if you claim to be the only environmentalist in the race you had
better be sure your opponent has never done anything at all for
the environment.
5. On all ads, bumper stickers, signs and commercials you should
clearly indicate who has paid for the ad and provide contact information.
6. Do not say anything about your opponent that you cannot prove.
7. Do not say anything about yourself that you cannot prove.
8. Use quotes in context.
9. If some other entity attacks your opponent unfairly, be sure
to promptly and publicly disavow the attack.
10. Do not appeal to racial, religious or other prejudices.
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