The November 2000 election saw active campaigning in Santa Clara, and the strategies and tactics employed by candidates and their supporters were, for the most part, positive approaches. Almost universally, campaigns emphasised why one candidate would be a good choice for Santa Clara - rather than negative attacks on another candidate. A group of senior citizens painted small rocks with gold paint and handed them out to candidates, reminding them "not to be the first to throw stones." These served as a tangible reminder to candidates to monitor themselves and their supporters.

At a follow-up meeting held after the election, candidates and their supporters evaluated the ethics and values demonstrated during the campaign. Low key, objective discussion took place about the judgements candidates and their supporters made during the campaigning period and what they would do differently in the future, based on their experience in this election.

Everyone involved with the election - candidates, campaign managers, supporters, current elected officials and voters - were more aware of, and thoughtful about, the ethics and values reflected in each campaign. The workshops on ethics and values in political campaigns were the catalyst for lively discussions about freedom of speech and other constitutional issues, the community's core values, the importance of leaders as role models for citizen attitudes and behaviours, and the benefits of using positive campaign strategies and tactics.

As a result, 100 percent of the candidates in 2000 voluntarily limited their campaign spending to the recommended cap, even though several easily could have raised and spent much more. In preparation for the 2002 election, the City of Santa Clara repeated its workshops earlier in the year for prospective and declared candidates.

Source: Prepared by C.Prkic for Transparency International and UN-HABITAT. E-mail: cprkic@yahoo.com