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Express advocacy
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- See also: Issue advocacy
Express advocacy refers to political advertisements that expressly and clearly support or oppose a particular electoral outcome. Express advocacy advertisements include "for" or "against" statements. Candidate-supported advertisements, for instance, which expressly state whether to vote for or against a candidate, are by definition express advocacy.[1]
Background
The Buckley v. Valeo U.S. Supreme Court decision established two types of political advertising: express advocacy and issue advocacy. Express advocacy advertisements explicitly recommend election or defeat of a candidate. They are also subject to federal campaign regulations. Issue advocacy advertisements, on the other hand, educate voters on broader issues; they are not campaign-oriented.[2]
The Buckley decision established guidance on which words or phrases indicate that a political advertisement is express advocacy.[2] Express advocacy is the explicit recommendation of an electoral outcome and may include terms like “vote for,” “elect,” "support,” "vote against,” “defeat” and "reject.” In interpreting the Buckley decision, lower courts have found that advertisements without these words were not considered express advocacy.[2][1]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Express + advocacy"
See also
External links
Footnotes
