2026 Fair Campaign Provisions

The goal of these provisions is to ensure fair elections.

The National Election Supervisor rules on issues in alignment with the Pacifica Bylaws to keep the election fair and safe for everyone. Candidates need to sign the 2026 Fair Campaign Provisions Agreement as part of their candidate application.

All candidates, staff, volunteers, management, and members are subject to the Fair Campaign Provisions.

2026 Fair Campaign Provisions

  • Every Staff and Volunteer Team Member, including management, is required to sign and submit the Fair Campaign Provisions Agreement no later than 11:59 PM PT on May 31, 2026
  • Every Candidate is required to sign and submit the Fair Campaign Provisions Agreement no later than 11:59 PM PT on June 30, 2026

Electronically sign the Fair Campaign Provisions by clicking here.

The  “FAIR CAMPAIGN PROVISIONS” as listed in the Pacifica Bylaws:

Rule #1: No Pacifica Foundation, Inc. or radio station management, volunteers, or staff may use or permit the use of radio station air time or other station resources to endorse, campaign, or recommend in favor of or against any candidate(s), nor may air time be made available to some candidate(s) but not to others.

All candidates for election shall be given equal opportunity for equal air time, which includes time for a candidate statement and a question-and-answer period with call-in listeners.

No Pacifica Foundation, Inc. or radio station management, volunteers, or staff may give any on-air endorsements to any candidate(s).

The Board of Directors, any LSB, nor any committee of the Board or of an LSB, as a body, may endorse any candidate(s). However, an individual Director, LSB Officer, or LSB Staff Representative who is a Member in good standing may endorse or nominate candidate(s) in his/her individual capacity.

In the event of any violation of these provisions for fair campaigning, the local elections supervisor and the national elections supervisor shall determine, in good faith and at their sole discretion, an appropriate remedy. This may include disqualification of the candidate(s) and/or suspension from the air of the offending volunteer or staff person(s) for the remainder of the elections period. All candidates, volunteers, and staff members shall sign a statement certifying that they have read and understood these fair campaign provisions.

The NES will post a list of all prospective Pacifica National Board and Local Station Board Listener, Staff, and Volunteer Candidates on the elections website. Staff will be expected to check this list before scheduling any guests, playing any pre-recorded piece, or recording any announcements to ensure compliance with the Fair Campaign rules.

Additional Fair Campaign Provisions proposed by the National Election Supervisor and adopted by the Foundation Executive Director

Rule #2: All staff, volunteers, management, candidates, candidate groups, or candidate supporters that maintain a website with station logos, call letters, and/or references to station programs or candidates for election to The Pacifica Foundation, Inc. boards, are subject to, and shall be bound by these rules:

  • Endorsements of candidates or prospective candidates on any official Pacifica Foundation, Inc. website or Pacifica Foundation, Inc. station website are not permitted, either explicitly or via hyperlink to another webpage.
  • Any website not linked from an official website, which any station, Pacifica Foundation, Inc. staff, or management maintains or contributes to, bearing the logo, names, or partial names of an official Pacifica Foundation, Inc. website but which is, in fact, independent of any Pacifica Foundation, Inc. station, can endorse candidates but must include the following disclaimer prominently and on all pages:

DISCLAIMER: This is not an official Pacifica Foundation, Inc.  website nor an official website of any of the five Pacifica Foundation, Inc. Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio). Opinions and facts alleged on this site belong to the author(s) of the website only and should NOT be assumed to be true or to reflect the editorial stance or policy of the Pacifica Foundation, Inc., or any of the five Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio), or the opinions of its management, Pacifica National Board, station staff, or other listener members.

  • Endorsement emails (web-based & list-serve) are permitted only if the email addresses were not gathered by the use of any station resources or website. Endorsement emails must contain the disclaimer statement:

DISCLAIMER: This is not an official Pacifica Foundation, Inc. mailing nor an official mailing of any of the five Pacifica Foundation, Inc. Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio). Opinions and facts alleged on this site belong to the author(s) only and should NOT be assumed to be true or to reflect the editorial stance or policy of the Pacifica Foundation, Inc., or any of the five Pacifica Foundation, Inc. Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio), or the opinions of its management, Pacifica National Board, station staff or other listener members.

Rule #3: No station resources may be provided unequally to some candidates but not others, including, but not limited to, staff services, equipment, meeting space, and logos. No Pacifica Foundation, Inc. campaign communication tools may be used to promote or raise funds for organizations not directly related to a Pacifica Foundation, Inc. election.

Rule #4: Any listener may organize community meetings to bring together listeners and prospective candidates for the purpose of learning about prospective candidates and collecting petition signatures, and must include an announcement and prominent posting of the following disclaimer:

DISCLAIMER: This is not an official Pacifica Foundation, Inc. event nor an official event of any of the five Pacifica Foundation, Inc. Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio). Opinions and facts alleged on this site belong to the author(s) only and should NOT be assumed to be true or to reflect the editorial stance or policy of the Pacifica Foundation, Inc., or any of the five Pacifica Foundation, Inc. Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio), or the opinions of its management, Pacifica National Board, station staff, or other listener members.

Rule #5: Listener Member Candidates are not permitted to call in to shows, or otherwise allow their voices to be heard on-air, even if they do not use their names.

Rule #6:  Candidates for all Pacifica Foundation, Inc. Elections must follow the Pacifica National Board Guidelines for Safe and Respectful Behavior for engagement with the Pacifica Foundation, Inc.

Behaviors that are not permitted and are subject to remedies include:

  1. Any form of physical violence, including unwanted touching or threats of physical harm, is strictly forbidden.
  2. Making false statements or false accusations about Pacifica Foundation, Inc. employees, policies, bylaws, board members, or any individual is strictly prohibited.
  3. Unauthorized sharing of confidential information related to the job performance of management, paid staff, volunteers, and other confidential matters, including Pacifica Executive Sessions and proprietary legal proceedings, is prohibited.
  4. Personal attacks, name-calling, insults, or any conduct that demeans others is prohibited.
  5. Any act to interrupt, disrupt, or interfere with the Pacifica Foundation, Inc. or Pacifica Foundation, Inc. station events, meetings, production, or activities is prohibited.
When Fair Campaign Provisions Begin:

All candidates, staff, volunteers, management, and members are subject to the Fair Campaign Provisions, which commence on June 1, 2026, with the opening of the nomination period, and which apply to all prospective candidates.

The NES will post a list of all prospective Pacifica National Board and Local Station Board Listener and Staff Candidates on the elections website. Staff will be expected to check this list before scheduling any guests, playing any pre-recorded piece, or recording any announcements to ensure compliance with the Fair Campaign rules.

How To Report a Perceived Violation

Once the election period begins, members, staff, volunteers, and managers may report a perceived violation using this form.

Filling out the form is required in order to receive an official response. Complaints must include the following information:

  • The name and contact information (telephone and email address) of the person making the complaint.
  • The name of the person(s) alleged to have violated the rules.
  • The approximate date and time of the violation, as precisely as possible.
  • The number of the rule or rules alleged to have been violated.
  • A brief description of what happened.
  • Evidence, which can include a recording, a video, an eyewitness account, or a document.

The NES will respond to Fair Campaign Complaints and offer the accused an opportunity to respond.

Consequences of Violations of Fair Campaign Provisions may include:

  • Loss of participation in, and posting of, their candidate forums and promotional video carts.
  • Disqualification from the election
  • Restricted access to Pacifica Foundation, Inc. premises, and/or  productions
  • The Pacifica Executive Director may revoke a membership for infractions and may impose a period during which the individual cannot renew a membership.

All acts of physical violence and/or threat of physical harm will result in automatic disqualification.