2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 10 - ELECTIONS › 10 ILCS 5/ - Election Code. › Article 29B - Fair Campaign Practices

(10 ILCS 5/Art. 29B heading)
ARTICLE 29B.  
		FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
(10 ILCS 5/29B-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 29B-5; formerly Ch. 46, par. 1102)
Sec. 29B-5. 
		Purpose. 
		The Legislature hereby declares that the purpose of
this Article is to encourage every candidate for public office in this State to
subscribe to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices.  It is the intent of the
Legislature that every candidate for public office in this State who subscribes
to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices will follow the basic principles of
decency, honesty and fair play in order to encourage healthy competition and
open discussion of issues and candidate qualifications and discourage practices
that cloud the issues or unfairly attack opponents.
(Source: P.A. 86-873; 87-1052.)
(10 ILCS 5/29B-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 29B-10; formerly Ch. 46, par. 1103)
Sec. 29B-10. Code of Fair Campaign Practices. At the time a
political committee, as defined in Article 9, files its
statements of organization, the State Board of Elections, in the case of a
state political committee or a political committee acting as both a state
political committee and a local political committee, or the county clerk,
in the case of a local political committee, shall give the political
committee a blank form of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices and a copy of
the provisions of this Article.  The State Board of Elections or county clerk
shall inform each political committee that subscription to the Code is
voluntary.  The text of the Code shall read as follows:
CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
There are basic principles of decency, honesty, and fair play that every
candidate for public office in the State of Illinois has a moral obligation
to observe and uphold, in order that, after vigorously contested but fairly
conducted campaigns, our citizens may exercise their constitutional right
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 my campaign openly and publicly, and limit attacks on
my opponent to legitimate challenges to his record.
(2) I will not use or permit the use of character defamation, whispering
campaigns, libel, slander, or scurrilous attacks on any candidate or his
personal or family life.
(3) I will not use or permit any appeal to negative prejudice based on
race, sex, sexual orientation, 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 creating or exploiting
doubts, without justification, as to the personal integrity or patriotism
of my opposition.
(5) I will not undertake or condone any dishonest or unethical practice
that tends to corrupt or undermine our American system of free elections
or that hampers or prevents the full and free expression of the will of
the voters.
(6) I will defend and uphold the right of every qualified American voter
to full and equal participation in the electoral process.
(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.
I, the undersigned, candidate for election to public office in the State
of Illinois or chair of a political committee in support of or
opposition to a question of public policy, hereby voluntarily endorse,
subscribe to, and solemnly pledge myself to conduct my campaign
in accordance with the above principles and practices.
..............           ...............................
Date
Signature
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/29B-15) (from Ch. 46, par. 29B-15; formerly Ch. 46, par. 1104)
Sec. 29B-15. 
		
		Responsibility of State Board of Elections for printing and
supplying of forms. The State Board of Elections shall print, or cause to be
printed, copies of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices.  The State Board of
Elections shall supply the forms to the county clerks in quantities and at
times requested by the clerks.
(Source: P.A. 86-873; 87-1052.)
(10 ILCS 5/29B-20) (from Ch. 46, par. 29B-20; formerly Ch. 46, par. 1105)
Sec. 29B-20. Acceptance of completed forms; retentions for public
inspection. The State Board of Elections and the county clerks shall accept,
at all times prior to an election, all completed copies of the Code of Fair
Campaign Practices that are properly subscribed to by a candidate or the chair
 of a political committee in support of or opposition to a question of
public policy, and shall retain them for public inspection until 30 days after
the election.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/29B-25) (from Ch. 46, par. 29B-25; formerly Ch. 46, par. 1106)
Sec. 29B-25. Subscribed forms as public records. Every copy of the Code of
Fair Campaign Practices subscribed to by a candidate or the chair of a
political committee in support of or opposition to a question of public policy
under this Article is a public record open for public inspection.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/29B-30) (from Ch. 46, par. 29B-30; formerly Ch. 46, par. 1107)
Sec. 29B-30. Subscription to Code voluntary. The subscription by a candidate
or the chair of a political committee in support of or opposition to a
question of public policy is voluntary.
A candidate, or the chair of a political committee, who has filed a
copy of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices may so indicate on any campaign
literature or advertising in a form to be determined by the State Board of
Elections.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/29B-35) (from Ch. 46, par. 29B-35; formerly Ch. 46, par. 1108)
Sec. 29B-35. 
		Failure to comply. 
		Any candidate or chairman of
a political committee who subscribes to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices
and fails to comply with any provision of the Code shall not be guilty of
a criminal offense and nothing in this Article or any other law shall be
construed to impose any criminal penalty for noncompliance with this Article.
(Source: P.A. 86-1435; 87-1052.)