Political Advertising Policy
The Stillwegian does not endorse candidates for political office.
We do accept political advertising, as a business transaction, from all candidates for any office, as well as related organizations or organizations involved with ballot initiatives. We accept these not to express the views of The Stillwegian, but to help pay the costs of publishing.
The Stillwegian recognizes that political advertising can and does inform voters, and our editor is committed to fairness and freedom of expression. We follow generally accepted journalistic policies, and all candidates have equal opportunities to advertise. As a neutral platform, we welcome political advertisements regardless of the political views they represent.
Any advertisement is considered political if it involves a political figure, party, or government issue, regardless of whether an election is taking place.
Equal access and rates
Every political advertising rate is identical for every candidate in a race. There are no political discounts and no political surcharges. Placements are sold first-come.
Political advertising must be prepaid. Creative and all required disclosures are due 72 hours before a ad campaign begins. All political advertising ends at 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Where advertising appears
Billboard and sidebar advertising rotates site-wide and is not targeted to or excluded from individual pages. An advertisement appears alongside articles and candidate profiles throughout The Stillwegian, including the profile of an opposing candidate.
Political advertisements are labeled as paid political advertisements and carry the purchasing committee's disclosure.
Advertising does not influence coverage
Purchasing advertising has no effect on The Stillwegian's news coverage, on the questions we ask candidates, on how questionnaire responses are published, or on a candidate's placement or presentation in our voter guide.
Every candidate on the ballot receives the same editorial treatment in the Election Desk voter guide — biography, headshot, questionnaire responses, reader endorsements, and links to our coverage — at no cost, whether or not they ever buy an advertisement.
Reader endorsement letters are not for sale. They cannot be purchased, solicited on a candidate's behalf, or influenced by advertising. Letters are published according to our endorsement letter guidelines and nothing else.
Separation of news and advertising
Like all quality publishers of original journalism, The Stillwegian maintains a clear separation between news and advertising content. We will not run content that appears to be a news item when it is paid for and provided by someone outside of The Stillwegian. Advertising that attempts to blur this distinction in a manner that, in the sole judgment of The Stillwegian, confuses readers will be rejected.
Enhanced Candidate Profiles
The Stillwegian offers candidates a paid enhanced profile — a block of campaign-written and campaign-provided material that appears on that candidate's Election Desk profile page. Enhanced profile content is placed below the candidate's editorial profile, are set apart visually from all editorial content, and carry a paid-content label at the top of the unit. They are written by the campaign, not by The Stillwegian, and they are not news coverage. Nothing in a enhanced profile is fact-checked, edited, or endorsed by The Stillwegian beyond the standards described in this policy. An enhanced campaign profile does not change a candidate's position, order, or prominence in the voter guide.
Standards for acceptance
The Stillwegian reserves the right to accept or decline any advertisement. The Stillwegian will decline advertisements that it knows or believes to be misleading, inaccurate, fraudulent, or illegal, or that fail to comply, in the sole discretion of The Stillwegian, with its standards of decency, taste, or dignity. The Stillwegian reserves the right to remove any messages that we deem are inflammatory, libelous, or in bad taste.
The Stillwegian does not publish attack advertising.
We will not accept a political advertisement that names, depicts, or refers to an opposing candidate — favorably, unfavorably, or by implication. This applies to text, images, video, audio and any overlay or graphic.
Advertising may make an affirmative case for a candidate, a party, a ballot measure, or a position. It may not make its case against a person.
We will not accept advertisements that attack an individual's personal life. Advertising that disagrees with a policy, a piece of legislation, or the direction of a public body is acceptable, provided it does not name or depict a candidate on the ballot.
This is the same standard we apply to reader endorsement letters, which are rejected outright if they mention an opposing candidate.
The Stillwegian reserves the right to ask for verification of claims made in political advertising. The distinction and decision will be made solely by management.
Required disclosures
All political advertisements must include every disclosure required by local, state, and federal law. The advertiser is solely responsible for compliance. The Stillwegian will not publish a political advertisement that lacks the applicable disclosure.
For state and local races in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission requires the following. This summary is provided as a courtesy and is not legal advice; advertisers should confirm their obligations with the Commission at (405) 521-3451 or ok.gov/ethics.
Candidate committees. Every candidate who raises or spends more than $1,000 is required to have a candidate committee. Whenever a candidate committee makes an advertising expenditure, the communication must state:
Authorized and paid for by [Name of Committee]
This applies to internet advertising, newspaper and magazine advertisements, direct mail, and other printed materials under Rule 2.56, and to internet advertising and video, radio, television, cable or satellite broadcast under Rule 2.55.
Political party committees. The same disclosure applies, naming the political party committee, under Rules 2.53 and 2.54.
Independent expenditures, electioneering communications, and state question communications. These must state:
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. Authorized and paid for by [name, permanent street address and phone number]
Written disclosures must be of sufficient size and contrast to be clearly readable. See Rules 2.57 and 2.58.
Our own disclaimer
We may place this disclaimer on all political advertising, with a link to this policy:
The Stillwegian does not endorse political candidates. Click here for political advertising policy.
Paid Campaign Modules additionally carry this label:
PAID CAMPAIGN CONTENT — Provided and paid for by [Name of Committee]. This content was written by the campaign, not by The Stillwegian. The Stillwegian does not endorse candidates.
Updated 8/28/2026