5A Chapter 258, Election Code (2)TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION
FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
Effective September 1, 1997 .
(Revised 09/01/2015)
Texas Ethics Commission, P.O. Box 12070, Austin, Texas 78711 -2070
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER 258, ELECTION CODE
FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
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Chapter 258. Fair Campaign Practices ........................................................ ............................... 1
Sec. 258.001.
Short Title ............................................................................. ............................... 1
Sec. 258.002.
Purpose ................................................................................. ............................... 1
Sec. 258.003.
Delivery Of Copy Of Code ................................................... ............................... 1
Sec. 258.004.
Text Of Code ........................................................................ ............................... 1
Sec. 258.005.
Forms ..................................................................................... ..............................2
Sec. 258.006.
Acceptance And Preservation Of Copies ............................. ............................... 2
Sec. 258.007.
Subscription To Code Voluntary .......................................... ............................... 2
Sec. 258.008.
Indication On Political Advertising ...................................... ............................... 2
Sec. 258.009.
Civil Cause Of Action .......................................................... ............................... 2
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Chapter 258, Election Code
ELECTION CODE
TITLE 15. REGULATING POLITICAL FUNDS AND CAMPAIGNS
CHAPTER 258. FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
Sec. 258.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the Fair Campaign
Practices Act.
Sec. 258.002. PURPOSE.
(a) The purpose of this chapter is to encourage every candidate and political committee
to subscribe to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices.
(b) It is the intent of the legislature that every candidate and political committee that
subscribes to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices will follow the basic principles of decency,
honesty, and fair play to encourage healthy competition and open discussion of issues and
candidate qualifications and to discourage practices that cloud the issues or unfairly attack
opponents.
Sec. 258.003. DELIVERY OF COPY OF CODE.
(a) When a candidate or political committee files its campaign treasurer appointment,
the authority with whom the appointment is filed shall give the candidate or political committee
a blank form of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices and a copy of this chapter.
(b) The authority shall inform each candidate or political committee that the candidate
or committee may subscribe to and file the code with the authority and that subscription to the
code is voluntary.
Sec. 258.004. TEXT OF CODE. The Code of Fair Campaign Practices reads as
follows:
CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
There are basic principles of decency, honesty, and fair play that every candidate and
political committee in this state has a moral obligation to observe and uphold, in order that, after
vigorously contested but fairly conducted campaigns, our citizens may exercise their
constitutional rights 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 the campaign openly and publicly and limit attacks on my
opponent to legitimate challenges to my opponent's record and stated positions on issues.
(2) I will not use or permit the use of character defamation, whispering
campaigns, libel, slander, or scurrilous attacks on any candidate or the candidate's personal or
family life.
(3) I will not use or permit any appeal to negative prejudice based on race, sex,
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
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Chapter 258, Election Code
creating or exploiting doubts, without justification, as to the personal integrity or patriotism of
my opponent.
(5) I will not undertake or condone any dishonest or unethical practice that tends
to corrupt or undermine our system of free elections or that hampers or prevents the full and free
expression of the will of the voters, including any activity aimed at intimidating voters or
discouraging them from voting.
(6) I will defend and uphold the right of every qualified voter to full and equal
participation in the electoral process, and will not engage in any activity aimed at intimidating
voters or discouraging them from voting.
(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.
1, the undersigned, candidate for election to public office in the State of Texas or
campaign treasurer of a political committee, hereby voluntarily endorse, subscribe to, and
solemnly pledge myself to conduct the campaign in accordance with the above principles and
practices.
Date Signature
Sec. 258.005. FORMS. The commission shall print copies of the Code of Fair
Campaign Practices and shall supply the forms to the authorities with whom copies of the code
may be filed in quantities and at times requested by the authorities.
Sec. 258.006. ACCEPTANCE AND PRESERVATION OF COPIES.
(a) An authority with whom a campaign treasurer appointment is filed shall accept each
completed copy of the code submitted to the authority that is properly subscribed to by a
candidate or the campaign treasurer of a political committee.
(b) Each copy of the code accepted under this section shall be preserved by the
authority with whom it is filed for the period prescribed for the filer's campaign treasurer
appointment.
Sec. 258.007. SUBSCRIPTION TO CODE VOLUNTARY. The subscription to the
Code of Fair Campaign Practices by a candidate or a political committee is voluntary.
Sec. 258.008. INDICATION ON POLITICAL ADVERTISING. A candidate or a
political committee that has filed a copy of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices may so indicate
on political advertising in a form to be determined by the commission.
Sec. 258.009. CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION. This chapter does not create a civil
cause of action for recovery of damages or for enforcement of this chapter.
1 This document is a copy of chapter 258, Election Code. To subscribe to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices, a
candidate or campaign treasurer of a political committee must submit Texas Ethics Commission FORM CFCP, not a
signed copy of this document.
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