Guidelines & Restrictions
Ensure you’re compliant with state political disclosure law, whether you’re a candidate, political committee, lobbyist, or an elected or appointed official.
Ensure you’re compliant with state political disclosure law, whether you’re a candidate, political committee, lobbyist, or an elected or appointed official.
These guidelines are distilled from the requirements in RCW 42.17A and WAC 390. Care has been taken to ensure the guidelines are accurate and concise. Nevertheless, they do not take the place of local, state, or federal laws.
Filter by audience for reporting guidelines and restrictions relevant to you or your interest area. Filter by interpretations or declaratory orders to see the Commission’s statements on how the law applies in certain situations.
Title | Type of Guideline | Audience(s) | Topic |
---|---|---|---|
A Printing Company Is A Commercial Advertiser A printing company is a commercial advertiser pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005 when the service it sells is that of communicating or producing messages for the general public or segment thereof. [Declaratory Order No. 9, issued July 28, 1992] |
Declaratory Order | All | Political Advertising |
Commercial Advertiser Disclosure Guide Any member of the public can request information about a political advertisement from the company that provided the advertising. These companies are referred to as “commercial advertisers” in state law. |
General | All, Voters & the Public | Political Advertising |
Describing Candidates in Ads Party preference must be stated if the office is a partisan one. Rules govern photo size and certain descriptive terms. |
General | Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists | Political Advertising |
False Political Advertising False political ads, published with actual malice, are illegal. |
General | Candidates, Political Committees, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer | Political Advertising |
Internal Political Communications and Sponsor Identification | Commission Interpretation | Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee | Political Advertising |
Items Exempt from Sponsor ID | General | Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer | Political Advertising |
Online Campaign Activities NOTE: Some of these dollar values have changed |
Commission Interpretation | Candidates, Political Committees | Political Advertising |
Political Advertising Guide Learn the definition of political advertising and how to ensure your ad complies with state law. |
General | Candidates, Political Committees, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer | Political Advertising |
Republishing Online Political Advertising | Commission Interpretation | Candidates, Political Committees | Political Advertising |
Sponsor ID Placement and Size Sponsor identification rules on political advertising varies, depending on whether the ad is in print, on a billboard or poster, broadcast or online. |
General | Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer | Political Advertising |
Sponsor ID: What to Include Political advertising must identify who is paying for it. Learn what details to include. |
General | Candidates, Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer | Political Advertising |