Politics & Government

#EpicFail: Many Lawmakers on Twitter Don't Follow Rules

State rules say lawmakers must include information about their campaigns on their social media profiles. The Washington Post says only half are following the rules on Twitter.

About half of Maryland lawmakers who use Twitter to communicate with constituents and court voters are following a state regulation that requires candidates to include information about their campaigns on their profiles, the Washington Post reports.

Under regulations issued in 2010, all candidates in Maryland are supposed to include an “authority line” when they promote themselves on social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Violations are subject to a fine of up to $500.

The Washington Post identified 92 Twitter accounts maintained by the state’s 188 senators and delegates. Of those, only 45 included authority lines that identify the name of the campaign entity and its treasurer.

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Promoting their views, their votes and their events are all considered activities that enhance the reelection prospects of elected officials and are considered campaign activity, Jared DeMarinis, director of the Maryland State Board of Election’s candidacy and campaign finance division, told the newspaper.

The authority line is meant to signal to voters that Twitter accounts of candidates are authentic, DeMarinis said, and it’s in the best interest of candidates to comply with the regulation for that reason alone. The elections board intends to start cracking down on candidates who aren’t following the rules.

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