Abraham Lincoln said that the United States is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. We choose our leaders by voting in elections. But if we are basing our choices on false information, do our election outcomes really reflect the will of the people?

The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee believes that political candidates must provide the public with accurate, truthful information so that informed decisions can be made in choosing our leaders. Yet, with the flood of increasingly sophisticated misinformation coming at us in physical and digital campaign ads, getting at the truth has become more and more challenging.

A December 2023 national survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the States United Democracy Center, and the Integrity Institute, found that 72% of respondents were concerned about inaccurate or misleading election information. Findings in a 2023 Public Affairs Council/Morning Consult poll, indicated that, with the exception of super PACs, the least trustworthy source of political news was candidate campaigns, with 24% trust and 60% little or no trust.

PolitiFact, factcheck.org, and other entities verify the truth in national political campaigns. But the reduction in local media outlets and the increasing number of candidates refusing to participate in League of Women Voters debates (where they are not able to vet questions in advance) have made it increasingly difficult to fact check local political campaigns.

That’s why the Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee has become more important than ever.

For 33 years, the Committee has been hearing complaints from political candidates in Westchester who believe that their opponents have employed unfair practices, such as making misleading, false or unsubstantiated election statements in campaign materials. Findings of fair or unfair campaign practices are issued by the Committee and distributed to the candidates and news outlets. Since 2003, the Committee has heard more than 183 complaints (519 findings)- approximately half of which were from Republican candidates and half from Democrats. About 66% of the findings were deemed unfair campaign practices.

The Committee holds politicians accountable for the content of their ads. However, as the Committee has no power of enforcement, it relies on the media and concerned citizens to publicize its findings. Getting accurate information to voters can influence their choices at the polls and make candidates think twice before resorting to untruthful campaign claims.

In addition to sharing the Committee’s findings, there are other ways to recognize and combat misinformation. We should always question the validity of what we read, rely on reputable news sources, and cross-check information. The Committee’s Citizen Info website page lists resources that explain how to identify AI generated content and ways to determine the veracity of campaign ads and social media posts. All of us need to educate ourselves, share what we have learned, and then cast fact-based votes that accurately reflect the will of the people.

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The nonpartisan Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee was created in 1991 by the League of Women Voters to promote honest, fair, and open political campaigns. Candidates who believe their opponents are engaging in unfair practices bring complaints to the Committee, which holds hearings and renders findings of fair, unfair or no finding.