What are the rules regarding political advertisements?
In Virginia, political advertisements are regulated by Virginia’s Election Law and the Federal Election Commission. Political advertisements are materials used to publicly communicate messages of support or opposition for a particular candidate or political party. Virginia Election Law requires political advertisements to clearly identify who paid for the advertisement and provide a statement indicating its approval. This is to ensure transparency of the source of the advertisement and its election-related messages. For television, radio, or internet advertisements, the name and address of the sponsor must be included in the advertisement. Ads must also include a statement indicating the sponsor’s approval. For print advertisements, billboards, and other non-electronic forms of advertising, the sponsor’s name must be clearly visible and also include a statement indicating the sponsor’s approval. In addition, political advertisements must not contain false or misleading statements about a candidate or political party. Likewise, political ads must not contain any statement that implies a public service announcement, endorsement or approval from the government. Virginia Election Law also prohibits the use of public funds and resources to produce or distribute ads favoring a certain candidate or political party. Money used to finance a political advertisement must come from a designated political fund and must be reported to the Virginia Division of Elections. Any violation of these rules is considered a Class 1 misdemeanor and can result in a fine and imprisonment.
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