Sixth: Electoral Campaign Controls
Article (43):
A candidate shall abide by the following in his/her election campaign:
- Maintaining the values and principles of the society, adhering to the rule and regulations and respecting public order.
- Ensuring that his/her election campaign does not include ideas that call for provoking religious, sectarian, tribal or racist fanaticism against others.
- Presenting their election programmes in the local visual, audible and readable mass media and holding seminars and press conferences in line with the rules stated in the instructions and within the scope of controls established by the NEC.
Article (44):
All candidates are banned from launching any election publicity that involves deception of voters and from using defamation methods against others in the election publicity.
Article (45):
Spending on the election publicity from public money or from the budget of ministries, organizations, companies and general authorities is banned. Using organizations and public utilities for the election publicity is also banned.
Article (46):
Each candidate may receive donations from any person or corporate body, provided that these donations shall not exceed the ceiling of spending on publicity campaigns. The candidate, however, shall submit to the emirate election committee a detailed statement of accounts for these donations.
Article (47):
Money or donations from outside the UAE or from foreign entities should by no means be received.
Article (48):
All candidates shall abide by the following:
- Ensuring that the ceiling of spending on publicity or promotional campaigns shall not exceed AED2 million.
- Disclosing the sources of financing publicity and election campaigns and submitting the publicity campaign plan to the Election Management Committee for endorsement.
Article (49):
- The election publicity shall start after the final list of the names of candidates has been announced and shall be completed by the end of the official office hours of the day that is 48 hours before the fixed election date, as indicated in the timeline. No publicity of any form may be launched after that date or on the election day.
- In all cases, the candidate shall undertake to remove all his/her media campaign materials within one week from the announcement of the final results of the elections.
Article (50):
- The UAE official emblem or symbols are banned from being used in meetings, advertisements, election leaflets and all kinds of writings and drawings used in the election campaign.
- A candidate may not use his/her advertising campaign for other than the objective it is launched for; namely, promotion of his/her candidacy and election programme.
- Schools, universities, institutes, houses of worship, hospitals, government and semi-government buildings, public parks or trade centres may not be used for the candidate's publicity.
- Loudspeakers may be used in the election campaign activities only in halls made for this purpose.
Article (51):
Election campaigns shall be launched on an individual basis and candidates may not agree on unified voting lists for the FNC membership or work jointly, directly or indirectly, to implement election campaigns.
Article (52):
A candidate is banned from being engaged in any behaviour, conduct or illicit activity or from slandering or doing harm to the other candidates, whether directly or indirectly. The publicity may not contain words, addresses, statements or promotional publications that will harm any other candidate. A candidate shall take into account the role required to be played by an FNC member so that his/her election campaign will not include promises or programmes beyond the tasks and powers of an FNC member.
Article (53):
Neither a government entity, nor a company, nor an organization that the government has shares in, may provide any form of financial or moral support, facilities or resources to any candidate or be engaged in any conduct that will directly or indirectly affect the election campaign of any candidate, whether such effect is in favour of or against the candidate.
Article (54):
- The emirate election committee shall select suitable spots from specific places designated for posters, placards or publicity photos of candidates in line with the local controls applicable in each emirate, taking into consideration that equal opportunities should be given to the candidates.
- Candidates are banned from sticking publications, advertisements or any kind of writings, drawings and photos to all types of cars or vehicles.
- A candidate shall undertake to maintain the elements of the environment and the aesthetics of the city.
- Phone messages are banned from being used by companies or for trade purposes in the election campaign.
- A candidate is banned from giving in-kind or cash gifts to voters.
Article (55):
- A candidate shall obtain the official approvals for using his/her campaign headquarters.
- A candidate may allocate places for gatherings, meeting with voters, giving lectures and holding seminars during the period specified for election campaigns after obtaining the necessary permit from the emirate election committee. Such gatherings may be held in showrooms, halls and camps set aside for celebrations.
Article (56):
Government employees or official authorities are banned from using their powers to support any candidate or launch an election campaign in favour of him/her.
Article (57):
No candidate may distribute – by himself or through others – action programmes, publications, cards or other documents on election day.