A Countywide Clean Campaign Pledge for 2024

This Clean Campaign Pledge was formulated during last year's Venice City Council election, and it led to the change of two seats.

This year, why not invite candidates for all electoral offices to sign it?

In fact, this is now underway. As of July 7, 2024, an invitation to sign a copy of the Countywide Clean Campaign Pledge has been shared with all candidates in contested elections countywide, including the County Commission, Hospital Board, School Board and Charter Review Board. If a candidate did not provide an email address, the invitation was sent to them via Facebook and to their homes via postal mail, as well as to their campaign managers. The invitation is below, with hyperlinks added.

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July 7, 2024 

Dear Candidate for Elected Office, 

Citizens for Sarasota County, a grassroots citizen group, is sponsoring a County-wide effort to  encourage election campaigns that focus on issues of concern to Sarasota County voters and to  discourage negative campaigning. This County effort is based on a successful program for City of  Venice City Council elections sponsored by Venice Thrives. The County Clean Campaign Pledge  is on the next page. 

Citizens for Sarasota County (“CSC”) is asking all candidates running in a contested election for a  County Commission, School Board, Hospital Board or Charter Review Board position in Sarasota  County to sign the attached Sarasota County Clean Campaign Pledge – Election 2024. By signing  this Pledge, you will help keep our local elections clean and focused on issues – not negative  attacks or false information. 

Citizens for Sarasota County will not endorse candidates but instead will focus on the Clean  Campaign Pledge as our contribution to local County elections. As you may know, voters in the  City of Venice made clear their support for the clean campaign pledge sponsored by Venice  Thrives in 2023. All 2024 candidates for the Venice City Council have signed the Venice Clean  Campaign Pledge. CSC believes that voters across the County will also support clean campaigns  that focus on County issues. 

Will you sign the Sarasota County Clean Campaign Pledge?  

You can sign the Pledge electronically on the next page (return email to CSC automatically sent)  or print, sign, scan and email it to PublicGoodSarasota@gmail.com 

We hope to hear from you by July 11th. Starting on July 12th, CSC will post and regularly update information indicating the candidates that have signed the Pledge online at Citizens for Sarasota County and Citizens for Sarasota County | Facebook.  

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at PublicGoodSarasota@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you and other candidates for clean elections in Sarasota County. 

Thank you, 

Citizens for Sarasota County Steering Committee

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