Carter Center Pursues Candidate Principles Initiative in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi

ATLANTA (Oct. 30, 2023) — The Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections is a cross-partisan effort to encourage candidates, political parties, and voters to uphold five core doctrines of democratic elections: integrity, nonviolence, security, oversight, and the peaceful transfer of power. 

Since 2022, more than 3,750 candidates, organizations, and voters across 50 states have signed the Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections. 

This year, the Center is focusing its election and democracy resilience efforts in states that have off-cycle, state-wide elections: Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

“As you head into the final weeks of this election cycle, we want to make you aware of the Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections,”  said Jason Carter, co-chair of the Steering Committee for the Candidate Principles. “This national program inspires confidence in American elections by showing that candidates embrace the common goals of civility, of honesty about the electoral process, they denounce threats, support secure voting, and are committed to acknowledging the final outcomes of our elections.”  

“Jason and I both know a thing or two about high expectations. As members of presidential families, we were raised to believe in civility and integrity – even in the face of disagreement,” said Steering Committee Co-chair Michael Ford. “Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford were leaders of different political parties. But they each worked across partisan lines and were role models for fair play. And they ultimately became close friends despite having been fierce political rivals.” 

Supporters of the Candidate Principles agree to: 

• Cooperate with election officials, adhere to rules and regulations, and refrain from knowingly spreading falsehoods about the electoral process.
• Encourage a peaceful election atmosphere during the preelection, polling, counting, and post-election periods. Denounce any attempt to intimidate, harass, threaten, or incite violence against opponents, their supporters, and election workers.
• Respect voters' freedom to exercise their lawful rights to register and vote, free from interference, obstruction, or intimidation.
• Encourage political parties and others to train poll watchers on the election process and appropriate roles and behaviors, responsibilities, and obligations.
• Make claims of election irregularities in accordance with the law and acknowledge the legitimacy of the outcomes after the results have been certified and all contestations decided.

The Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections is advised by a steering committee co-chaired by Jason Carter and Michael Ford. Michael Hayden, Margaret Hoover, Sam Donaldson, Nick Troiano, and Danielle Allen are also part of the committee.  

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 Contact: In Atlanta, Maria Cartaya, maria.cartaya@cartercenter.org

The Carter Center
Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.