Government: Campaign Financing, Procedures, and Practices

Government: Campaign Financing, Procedures, and Practices

BRIEF SUMMARY: The LWVDV supports high standards for campaigns.
Position In Brief: 

The LWVDV supports high standards for campaigns, increased public awareness of and community involvement in the election process, campaign finance practices which will ensure full disclosure of campaign contributions, and adherence by office holders to strict conflict-of interest provisions.

Position History: 

(Established 1983, reviewed and affirmed annually)

The LWVDV supports the following objectives: 

  • Extensive and equitable media coverage for candidates.
  • Timely, complete, and easily accessible disclosure of the amount and source of campaign contributions, including those made by or to independent committees. The League supports adding the following to the 60-Day Election Report: 
  • An accurate financial summary for the entire campaign period.
  • An alphabetized list prepared by each candidate of all disclosed contributors for the entire campaign period.
  • An improved format for government-issued voter pamphlets, including use of large, easily readable type.
  • Improved voter information standards which will ensure relevant, accurate, and easily understandable information. The LWVDV supports campaign literature and political advertising which is clearly identified as to its source and as “paid political advertising.”
  • Standards for campaign practices which enable candidates to compete equitably and which speak to the issues. The LWVDV encourages candidates to enter into voluntary agreements for fair campaign practices.
  • A campaign ordinance provision that would define a large campaign contribution as a conflict of interest for an elected official when voting on an issue of economic benefit to the contributor.
  • Effective monitoring and enforcement of city and county campaign laws and ordinances. The LWVDV supports:
  • Greater public involvement in the monitoring and enforcement process.
  • Creation of a county-level election committee to educate voters, advise candidates, monitor elections, enforce campaign laws and ordinances, and process complaints.

 

League to which this content belongs: 
Diablo Valley