§ 11-72. Ethical campaign practices.

(a)

This section may be cited as the "Broward County Ethical Campaign Practices Act."

(b)

Applicability. The Broward County Ethical Campaign Practices Act shall apply to any candidate for elected public office whose constituency resides, in whole or in part, within Broward County, or when the boundaries of the public office sought are located, in whole or in part, within the County.

(c)

Ethical Campaign Practices. Upon becoming a Candidate for an elected public office, a Candidate shall obtain from the officer before whom the Candidate qualifies the statement described in Section (d) for the purpose of voluntarily executing said statement and agreeing to abide by the Ethical Campaign Practices established in this section. A Candidate's decision regarding whether to execute the statement is strictly voluntary.

(d)

Statement of Ethical Campaign Practices. In accordance with Section (c), the following statement of Ethical Campaign Practices shall be provided to each Candidate for elected public office in Broward County:

STATEMENT OF ETHICAL CAMPAIGN PRACTICES

As a candidate for public office in Broward County, I believe that political issues can be freely debated without appealing to racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, or other prejudices. I recognize that such negative appeals serve only to divide this community and create long-term moral, social, and economic problems.

Therefore:

1.

I shall not make my race, color, religion, gender, national origin, physical disability, or sexual orientation an issue in my campaign.

2.

I shall not make my opponent's race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, physical disability, or sexual orientation an issue in my campaign.

3.

I will condemn any appeal to prejudice based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, physical disability, or sexual orientation.

4.

I shall not attack or question my opponent's patriotism.

5.

I shall not publish, display, or circulate any anonymous campaign literature or political advertisement nor shall I tolerate or permit members of my campaign organization to engage in such activities.

6.

I shall not tolerate nor permit members of my campaign organization to engage in activities designed to destroy or remove campaign materials or signs lawfully displayed on public or private property.

7.

I shall not tolerate my supporters engaging in these activities which I condemn nor shall I accept their continued support if they engage in such activities. I will not permit any member of my campaign organization to engage in these activities and will immediately and publicly repudiate the support of any other individual or group which resorts to the methods and tactics that I hereby condemn.

8.

I shall run a positive campaign emphasizing my qualifications for office and my positions on issues of public concerns and I will limit my attacks on an opponent to legitimate challenges to that person's record, qualifications, and positions.

9.

I will neither use nor permit the use of malicious untruths or innuendoes about an opponent's personal life, nor will I make or condone unfounded accusations discrediting an opponent's credibility.

10.

I will not use or permit the use of campaign material that falsifies, distorts, or misrepresents facts.

Executed on this day _______ of  _____ , _______

WITNESSES:	BY CANDIDATE:
_____	_____
	Signature
_____	_____
	(Print Name)
STATE OF FLORIDA       )
)	SS.
COUNTY OF  _____  )

 

 The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of ________, ___, by ___________, who is personally known to me or who has produced ___________ as identification and who did/did not take an oath.

WITNESS my hand and official seal, this _____ day of
_____,  _____.

(NOTARY SEAL)	_____
	(Signature of person taking acknowledgment)
	_____
	(Name of officer taking acknowledgment)
	typed, printed, or stamped

 

My commission expires:

(e)

A Candidate executing the statement of Ethical Campaign Practices in Section (d) shall file the original and a copy of the executed statement, bearing the Candidate's signature, with the officer before whom the Candidate qualifies within five (5) days after becoming a Candidate for the elected public office.

(Ord. No. 2000-06, § 1, 1-25-00; Ord. No. 2019-09 , § 2, 2-26-19)

Editor's note

See the editor's note to § 11-4.