Contests for judicial office must be conducted in such a way as not to impair public confidence in the integrity and objectivity of the judicial process. Unfair or potentially deceptive campaign conduct by judicial candidates can quickly undermine public confidence in the courts unless the public is certain that such conduct will not be tolerated. Because preservation of the integrity of the judicial office is vital if public respect for the law and the courts is also to be preserved, the King County Bar Association formed the Fair Campaign Practices Committee to monitor judicial elections that take place in whole or in part in King County and respond to complaints of unfair judicial campaign practices in those elections.