Fair Campaign Practice Committee & Decisions

League of Women Voters^®
of Syracuse Metropolitan Area

Learn About the FCP

How to Run a Fair Campaign

FCP. What taking the FCP means. FCP Pledge. Fair Campaign Complaint Form. FCP findings of 2008 & 2007.

All About the FCP Committee

The Onondaga County Fair Campaign Practices Committee has been organized by the Syracuse League of Women Voters with the support of the Onondaga Citizens League to help candidates conduct fair and honest campaigns. The Committee accepts written complaints about alleged unfair campaign practices and determines through a hearing if the complaints are legitimate. The Committee then notifies the parties regarding its findings and also issues a press release. The Committee's decisions are based on the principles set forth in the Fair Campaign Pledge, which every candidate for office is encouraged to sign.
The Committee deals with the problem of unfair and unethical campaign tactics that may occur and provides an opportunity for a candidate to have a hearing on an opponent's campaign practices. Illegal practices are dealt with by the Onondaga County Board of Elections and the court system.
The Committee is composed of nine members who represent the diversity of the community. Each representative is selected on his/her recognized community leadership, concern with the ethics of political campaigns, and ability to be non partisan. Committee members are chosen from the religious, educational, minority, business and not for profit communities. Although a representative from the League of Women Voters and from the Onondaga Citizens League serve on the committee, the Committee chairperson is elected by the Committee once it has convened.
The political parties play a vital role in the Committee hearings. They may represent a candidate from their party and take part in the deliberations, but they will have no vote in the decisions made by the Committee.
The goal of the Committee is to promote a climate in which candidates conduct fair and honest campaigns. This can be accomplished by educating candidates and the public about fair campaigning and encouraging adherence to the Fair Campaign Pledge.
As a candidate, if you find it necessary to file a complaint, please do so as early as you can so that the committee will have time to review it and post their decision prior to election day.
For additional information about the Fair Campaign Practice Committee send an email to FCP@lwvsyr.org or call the LWV Office at (315) 448-7199

What is the Fair Campaign Pledge

WHAT THE PLEDGE MEANS
The Pledge commits candidates to the following:
TO DISCUSS the issues before the public and to challenge the opponents' positions and policies.
TO UPHOLD the right of every qualified voter to full and equal participation in the electoral process.
TO CONDEMN the use of personal vilification, character defamation, whispering campaigns, libel, slander, or attacks on any candidate or that candidate's personal or family life.
TO CONDEMN the use of campaign material of any sort that misrepresents, distorts, or otherwise falsifies the facts regarding any candidate or party, as well as the use of malicious or unfounded accusations against any candidate or party.
TO CONDEMN any appeal to prejudice based on race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age or national origin.
TO CONDEMN any dishonest or unethical practice that tends to corrupt or undermine the American system of free elections or to hamper or prevent the full and free expression of the will of the voters.
TO PUBLICLY REPUDIATE support deriving from any individual or group that resorts on behalf of a candidacy or that of an opponent to the methods and tactics outlined above.

The FCP Pledge for Candidates

Candidates may access the FCP Pledge from this site or they can call the LWV Office at (315) 448-7199. Once the pledge is completed return to the LWV by fax to (315)448-7299
Click Here for a copy of the the FCP Pledge FCP PLEDGE

How to file a complaint to the FCP

Candidates may access the FCP Complaint Form from this site or they can call the LWV Office at (315) 448-7199. Once the pledge is completed return to the LWV by fax to (315)448-7299.
If you find the need to file a complaint, please do so as early as possible so that the committee can review it and post a decision prior to election day. FCP Complaint Form

Previous FCP Findings

Click here for previous FCP findings MacLaughlin vs. Kraft
Click this link for previous findings Stirpe vs. Knapp for the NYS Assembly

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: June 14, 2010 08:53 PDT.