Sec. 115-1. - Title.

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

(Ord. No. 06-11, § 1, 4-12-06)

Sec. 115-2. - Purpose.

The purpose of this article is to provide standards of ethical campaign practices to which persons seeking elected public office who are required to file qualifying papers with the supervisor of elections.

(Ord. No. 06-11, § 1, 4-12-06)

Sec. 115-3. - Applicability.

This article shall apply to any candidate for elected public office who is required to file qualifying papers with the supervisor of elections.

(Ord. No. 06-11, § 1, 4-12-06)

Sec. 115-4. - Definition.

As used in this article, "candidate" means any person to whom any one or more of the following applies:

(1)

Any person who seeks to qualify for nomination or election by means of the petitioning process;

(2)

Any person who seeks to qualify for election as a write-in candidate;

(3)

Any person who receives contributions or makes expenditures, or gives his or her consent for any other person to receive contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing about his or her nomination or election to, or retention in, public office;

(4)

Any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a primary depository; or

(5)

Any person who files qualification papers and subscribes to a candidate's oath as required by law.

(Ord. No. 06-11, § 1, 4-12-06)

Sec. 115-5. - Ethical campaign practices.

Upon becoming a candidate for an elected public office, a candidate shall obtain from the supervisor of elections the statement described in section 115-6 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.

(Ord. No. 06-11, § 1, 4-12-06)

Sec. 115-6. - Statement of ethical campaign practices.

In accordance with section 115-4, the following statement of ethical campaign practices shall be provided to each candidate for elected public office in the county:

STATEMENT OF ETHICAL CAMPAIGN PRACTICES

As a candidate for public office in Pasco 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 ____________, 20____________

(Ord. No. 06-11, § 1, 4-12-06)

Sec. 115-7. - Filing of statement.

A candidate executing the statement of ethical campaign practices in section 115-6 shall file the original and a copy of the executed statement, bearing the candidate's signature, with the supervisor of elections before whom the candidate qualifies within five days after becoming a candidate for the elected public office.

(Ord. No. 06-11, § 1, 4-12-06)