Code of Fair Campaign Practices

ARTICLE 29B FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES ACT - State of Illinois

10 ILCS 5/29B-5. Purpose. The Legislature hereby declares that the purpose of this Article is to encourage every candidate for public office in this State to subscribe to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices. It is the intent of the Legislature that every candidate for public office in this State who subscribes to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices will follow the basic principles of decency, honesty and fair play in order to encourage healthy competition and open discussion of issues and candidate qualifications and discourage practices that cloud issues or unfairly attack opponent. (Source: P.A. 86-873.)

There are basic principles of decency, honesty, and fair play that every candidate for public office in the State of Illinois has a moral obligation to observe and uphold, in order that, after vigorously contested but fairly conducted campaigns, our citizens may exercise their constitutional right to a free and untrammeled choice and the will of the people may be fully and clearly expressed on the issues.

THEREFORE:

(1) I will conduct my campaign openly and publicly, and limit attacks on my opponent to legitimate challenges to his record.

(2) I will not use or permit the use of character defamation, whispering campaigns, libel, slander, or scurrilous attacks on any candidate or his personal or family life.

(3) I will not use or permit any appeal to negative prejudice based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or national origin.

(4) I will not use campaign material of any sort that misrepresents, distorts, or otherwise falsifies the facts, nor will I use malicious or unfounded accusations that aim at creating or exploiting doubts, without justification, as to the personal integrity or patriotism of my opposition.

(5) I will not undertake or condone any dishonest or unethical practice that tends to corrupt or undermine our American system of free elections or that hampers or prevents the full and free expression of the will of the voters.

(6) I will defend and uphold the right of every qualified American voter to full and equal participation in the electoral process.

(7) I will immediately and publicly repudiate methods and tactics that may come from others that I have pledged not to use or condone. I shall take firm action against any subordinate who violates any provision of this Code or the laws governing elections.

I, the undersigned, candidate for election to public office in the State of Illinois or chairman of a political committee in support of or opposition to a question of public policy, hereby voluntarily endorse, subscribe to, and solemnly pledge myself to conduct my campaign in accordance with the above principles and practices.