Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections Ethics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenter cites city election code and urges pledge for honest campaigns
Summary
At a City Commission meeting, Becky Wynkoop read the city election ordinance emphasizing nonpartisan elections and urged a pledge for honest campaigns, while commissioners agreed much of the pledge's goals are already reflected in statute and declined to press immediate policy action.
Becky Wynkoop addressed the commission during public comment and read portions of the city election ordinance to underscore the city's nonpartisan-election requirements and protections against unfair campaign tactics.
Wynkoop quoted the ordinance, saying in part, "it is the intent of this article to ensure that all city elections shall be conducted in a proper, orderly, and fair manner so as to permit the will of the electorate to be determined," and urged commissioners that campaign pledges or other measures should promote full and accurate information rather than one-sided messaging.
Wynkoop also criticized the use of "dark money" and materials that omit exonerating information about candidates, and said, "I pledge that if anything like that happens again, I will make sure the whole story is out." She framed the pledge idea as a personal commitment to honest campaigning.
Commissioners responded cautiously. Commissioner Thompson said the sections Wynkoop read were "very encouraging," noting that many of the goals described in the pledge are already reflected in the city's election statute, and that addressing dark money is generally outside local authority. Another commissioner said they had decided not to pursue formal action on the pledge because of procedural and legal hurdles.
No ordinance or formal directive to implement a pledge was adopted at the meeting; the topic was discussed during commissioner comments and public comment only.
