Paid For By: Campaign Website Disclaimer Basics

Nobody enters a race hoping to spend a week explaining a missing "Paid for by" line. Disclaimer rules are one of the small details that cause the most avoidable trouble for local campaigns, and most mistakes are about habit, not intent.

Quick answer: Many places require political communications, including campaign websites, to say who paid for them. Exact wording and placement vary by state, office and type of communication, so get the wording from your local election office, then put it in the same place on every page.

This is general information, not legal advice. Disclaimer requirements differ by state, by office and by the kind of communication. Confirm the exact wording and placement with your local election office or an attorney who handles campaign law before you publish.

Why it matters

Disclaimers tell voters who is behind a message. A missing or wrong one invites complaints, press attention and sometimes penalties, and it distracts from the race you are trying to run.

Where they commonly appear

• The footer of a campaign website, repeated on every page.
• Mailers, signs and printed pieces.
• Paid online ads and sponsored posts.
• Email and text messages to supporters.

Common mistakes

• Putting it on the home page but not on newer pages.
• Using a name that does not match the registered committee.
• Forgetting to update it when the committee or treasurer changes.
• Letting it become too small or too faint to read.
• Reusing wording from another state or another office.

Habits that prevent problems

• Get the approved wording in writing from the election office.
• Put it in the site-wide footer, so every new page carries it automatically.
• Check it after every site change.
• Keep the same wording across site, email and print.

See how our compliance built in approach keeps this consistent, or start the intake and we will talk through your race.