campaign ethics

Codes of Campaign Conduct

A public commitment to campaign honorably cam promote the right tone in campaigns.

California Code of Fair Campaign Practices - California law suggests a voluntary code. It's fine as far as it goes, but doesn't reflect the current realities of the kind of behaviors that undermine public trust and confidence in the political process.
Pledge of Fair Campaign Practices - This is a a proposed update of California's voluntary code, based on research from UC Berkeley's Center for Campaign Conduct.

Running an Ethical and Effective Campaign

This 2004 article offers tips to local officials on running a clean campaign. Read more »

Legal Issues Associated with Use of Public Resources for Ballot Measure Activities

Important policy decisions affecting local agencies in California are made by the electorate through the initiative and referendum process. What role may local agencies and their officials play in the initiative and referendum process?

The Institute is grateful to McDonough, Holland and Allen, whose generous financial support of the Institute's ethics program made it possible to answer this question.Read more »

Treasurer Gets 10 Years

A city treasurer was indicted on 39 counts of money laundering, bribery, wire fraud and public corruption, alleging that he used his elected office and political influence to funnel money from city projects to family and friends between 1998 and 2003. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $639,000 in restitution.

Ballot Measure Advocacy Rules of the Road for California Public Agencies

This plain-language, three-fold pamphlet explains the restrictions on use of public resources for ballot measure activities to non-attorney local officials.

Raising Funds for Favorite Causes

This article examines the special ethical issues public officials need to be sensitive to when fundraising for worthy causes. Although the focus of the article is charitable fundraising, a number of the principles also apply in political fundraising.