POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING POLICIES
Section 162(23) of the Constitution of the Knights of Columbus provides that any member of the Order is prohibited from:
“Issuing appeals for, or soliciting by virtue of his membership in the Knights of Columbus, aid, or assistance or support by or in behalf of or announcing candidates for public office, or candidates for office (including delegates to State and Supreme councils) in another society or body or in the Order: fine, suspension, or expulsion.
“Any member who knowingly permits or acquiesces to such appeals, solicitations, etc., shall, if elected, be ineligible to hold office.”
Thus, a candidate and his supporters are prohibited from:
A. Issuing an appeal for aid, assistance, or support for an office in the Order,
B. Soliciting aid, assistance, or support as a candidate for office in the Order, and
C. Announcing candidates for office in the Order.
To assist you in interpreting of Section 162(23) of the Constitution of the Knights of Columbus, the following rules are being furnished to you. A candidate and his supporters are expected to abide by these rules and to comply with the spirit of these rules and the spirit of Columbianism that is to be a part of every part of the Knights of Columbus. Including campaigns for office in the Order. These rules are intended as the minimum standard of conduct that is expected of a candidate and his supporters.
A candidate and his supporters are prohibited from doing the following actions:
A. sending any material to members of the Order announcing his candidacy for office in the Order, (see the exception concerning the home council of a candidate for an elected state council office)
B. making speeches or otherwise announcing his candidacy for office in the Order,
C. writing, sending, posting, or verbally appealing for support or assistance on behalf of a candidate,
D. distributing or posting any type of material with the candidate’s name and/or picture, likeness, or caricature of the candidate with the name, title, or other reference to the office for which the individual is a candidate, (this includes, but is not limited to cards, posters, balloons, banners, buttons, pins, pictures, and other materials),
E. distributing or posting cards, posters, or any other type of materials announcing the candidacy for an office or soliciting support or assistance for a candidate, and
F. all campaigns are to be conducted in a gentlemanly manner and with the spirit of Columbianism.
A common law exception to “A” has evolved and is recognized by the Supreme Council concerning the home council of a candidate for an elected state office in the Order. A candidate’s home council may adopt a resolution endorsing one of its members for an elected state council office and listing his qualifications. The resolution may be sent by the adopting council to all other councils in the state. If the resolution and the letter forwarding the resolution to the councils do not contain anything otherwise prohibited by Section 162(23), then such actions do not violate Section 162(23).
These rules are not to be so strictly interpreted as to mean that candidates and their supporters are prohibited from discussing on an individual basis the fact that they support a candidate and asking for support for a candidate on an individual basis. These rules do not prohibit a candidate from discussing with his supporters various matters concerning his campaign.
Section 162(23) is not intended to be a trap used by the losing candidate to disqualify the winner after the election. If a candidate has knowledge that an opponent is violating Section 162(23), then the candidate should call it to the attention of the appropriate authorities so the authorities may request the individual or individuals to stop any such action. A candidate or his supporters cannot wait to see the outcome of the election to determine whether to complain of the other candidate’s actions. Minor infractions or inadvertent actions shall not be grounds for action under Section 162(23) unless the individuals continue such action after being notified or informed that the action violated Section 162(23).