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Electioneering Communications

Political advertisements that mention a candidate and air within 30 days of a primary election or 60 days of a general election.

Definitions

Clearly identified candidate

A candidate is “clearly identified” if the candidate’s name, nickname, photograph or drawing appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent through an unambiguous reference such as “the President,” “your Representative,” or “the incumbent.”


Public distribution

A communication is “publicly distributed” for the purposes of the rules governing electioneering communications when it is aired, broadcast, cablecast or otherwise disseminated through the facilities of a radio or television station, cable television system or a satellite system.

Targeted to the relevant electorate

A communication is “targeted to the relevant electorate” when it is receivable by 50,000 or more persons in the candidate’s district (for a House candidate) or state (for a Senate candidate).

In the case of presidential and vice presidential candidates, the communication is publicly distributed if it can be received by 50,000 or more people in a state where a primary election or caucus is being held within 30 days or anywhere in the United States 30 days prior to the nominating convention or 60 days prior to the general election.Read more about electioneering communications.

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People watching a TV showing Trump and Harris

People watch the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Li Rui/Xinhua via Getty Images

Is the devil you know better than the devil you don't when voting?

Schmidt is a columnist and editorial board member with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The 2024 election is shaping up to be a “Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know" kind of contest.

That saying is rooted in ambiguity aversion bias. Even if a situation is bad, individuals would rather stay with what they know rather than face uncertainty.

So it goes with our presidential nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Not liking Trump the man may not be enough for Harris to beat the former president.

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Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford

President-elect Jimmy Carter and President Gerald Ford in the White House.

Historical/Getty Images

Carter, Ford: Nonviolent campaigns are the only safeguard for democracy

The following editorial appeared last month in the Detroit News after the July assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Given the events of this week, the piece is reprinted below, again denouncing political violence. Last week, the authors helda national joint convening on election norms, advancing strategies for leaders, voters and the media to support the United States’ tradition of a peaceful transfer of power.

Carter is the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, and Ford is the son of former President Gerald Ford, a Republican. They serve as co-chairs of the Principles for Trusted Elections, a cross-partisan program of The Carter Center, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Team Democracy.

The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13 is a stark reminder that the specter of political violence casts a long shadow over our democratic ideals. This outrageous act underscores the sad reality that those engaged in our democratic process — whether as candidates, public officials or citizens — can find themselves in situations where their safety is compromised simply by participating.

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Bill Gates (but not that Bill Gates)
Issue One

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Bill Gates

Minkin is a research associate at Issue One. Clapp is the campaign manager for election protection at Issue One. Assefa is a research intern at Issue One.

Bill Gates, a registered Republican, was re-elected to the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Board of Supervisors in 2020 after first being elected in 2016. Before joining the board, he served on the Phoenix City Council for seven years, from 2009 to 2016, including a term as vice mayor in 2013.

Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, is the fourth-largest county in the United States, and it has the second-largest voting jurisdiction in the country, with about 2.5 million active, registered voters and about 4.5 million residents. Gates represents roughly 900,000 residents as a supervisor for the 3rd district.

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