3341-5-24 Political Activity

1. Policy Statement and Purpose

   To set out the university policy governing the circumstances when a university employee may hold political office, engage in partisan political activity, use university time, property and equipment for political activity, and participate in other activities of a political nature.

2. Policy

   Whether a faculty or administrative staff member may hold a non- university elected or appointed position is dependent upon the compatibility of the two positions involved. Positions are considered incompatible when any of the following situations exist: one position is subordinate to or in any way a check upon the other; time or energies are taken from the duties of the university position; or some specific constitutional or statutory bar exists precluding a person from serving in both positions. If the offices are compatible in these respects, then a faculty member or administrative staff member may engage in such activity.
   1. The rules regarding political activity for classified staff are different: Section 124.57, Ohio Revised Code, prohibits classified staff members from engaging in partisan political activity. "Political activity" and "politics" refer to partisan activities, campaigns, and elections involving primaries, partisan ballots and partisan candidates.
   2. Classified staff members may: register and vote; express opinions, either oral or in writing; volunteer financial contributions to political candidates or organizations; circulate nonpartisan petitions or petitions stating views on legislation; attend political rallies; sign nominating petitions in support of individuals; display political materials at home or on private property; wear political badges or buttons, or display political stickers on private vehicles; and serve as a precinct election official.

   3. Restrictions on political activities are placed upon classified employees. The Ohio Administrative Code defines classified service for the purpose of political activities as “all persons in active pay status serving in the competitive classified civil service of the State.”

      Prohibited activities for classified employees include, but are not limited to, the following (Ohio Admin. Code Ann. §123:1-46-02):

      1. Candidacy for public office in a partisan election;
      2. Candidacy for public office in a nonpartisan general election if the nomination to candidacy was obtained in a partisan primary or through the circulation of nominating petitions identified with a political party;
      3. Filing of petitions meeting statutory requirements for partisan candidacy to elective office;
      4. Circulation of official nominating petitions for any candidate participating in a partisan election;
      5. Service in an elected or appointed office in any partisan political organization;
      6. Acceptance of a party-sponsored appointment to any office normally filled by partisan elections;
      7. Campaigning by writing for publications, by distributing political material, or by writing or making speeches on behalf of a candidate for partisan elective office, when such activities are directed toward party success;
      8. Solicitation, either directly or indirectly, of any assessment, contribution or subscription, either monetary or in-kind, for any political party or political candidate;
      9. Solicitation of the sale, or actual sale, of political party tickets;
      10. Partisan activities at the election polls, such as solicitation of votes for other than nonpartisan candidates and nonpartisan issues;
      11. Service as, witness or challenger, for any party or partisan committee;
      12. Participation in political caucuses of a partisan nature; and
      13. Participation in a political action committee which supports partisan activity.
   4. The Chief of Human Resources is available for consultation about employee participation in political activity.

Date: September 9, 2016