Changes to Google Ads Policy for Elections and Political Ads

Google released a number of new changes to the Google Ads policies that were made in January and February 2022 for political and election-related content in ads. Google is ending the election advertising exception, creating new options for serving election advertising, not accepting W9s for review, and more.

In this document Google wrote about a number of these changes as of February 15, 2022.

Exceptions for election advertising

In February 2022, Google Ads Political Content Guidelines will be updated to remove existing products, services, and news exemptions from electoral advertising guidelines worldwide. Google will begin enforcing the policy update on February 15, 2022. With this policy update, ads for products, services, and news are no longer exempt from Google’s electoral guidelines. Advertisers wishing to promote products, services, and news with ad content within the scope of the Policy (e.g., with a current candidate or incumbent) will be subject to the applicable Election Advertising Policy, including a requirement that they request an election review in turn To place ads. Violations of this policy will not result in immediate account suspension without prior warning. A warning will be given at least 7 days before your account is blocked. Google recommends that you review this policy update to see if any of your ads fall within the scope of the policy, and if so, make sure that you complete the electoral review review if it is eligible or see those ads before April 15th. Remove February 2022.

New options for the delivery of election advertisements

At the same time as the elimination of the exemptions for election advertising, Google announced on February 15, 2022 that it would also expand the options for serving ads. Currently, election ads can only run in the country or region to which the ad content relates (e.g. election advertising or advertiser identity verification is allowed to run ads in their home country or region that is subject to an election advertising policy for another country or region Advertisers are not allowed to run election ads outside of their home country or region. For example, a verified New Zealand advertiser may run an ad in New Zealand with an EU candidate or incumbent but not in the Show EU. Please note that this change will only affect ads that are shown in the advertiser’s home country or region.

Google Ads confirmation in US elections

In this document Changes to the Policy on Political Content will take effect on January 24, 2022. You are mentioned in it updated document as:

In January 2022, Google will update its Political Content Policy to clarify that Google will no longer accept W9 identity verification forms for reviewing US election advertisements.

Instead, Google accepts the following forms for verification of the Employer Identification Number (EIN):

• Any document, notice or letter, either issued by the IRS or stamped by the IRS, containing the name and EIN of the organization;
• Forms submitted to the IRS such as 8871 or 990 when available on the IRS website;
• Business incorporation certificates;
• The latest SEC filing;
• Bank statements within the last 3 months;
• Business information from Experian, Equifax, TransUnion or Dun & Bradstreet.

These must all contain the name and EIN of the organization. This change will not affect advertisers performing identity verification for US election advertising verification based on an FEC ID number or a state electoral registration or ID number. Google will begin enforcing the policy update on January 24th. Accounts that have already passed US election certification do not need to submit new documentation.

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