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Show HILL TOP TIMES 1m Friday, March 14, 1986 Pflnftnes Civilian, military partisan campaign rules outlined Editor's Note: The following two articles are about permitted and prohibited political activities tor civilians and military members. Civilians are covered under the Hatch Act and military rules are outlined in Air Force Regulation 110-- In this election year, political campaigning will become more and more intense as November draws near. For Air Force members, Air Force Regulation 110-outlines both permissible and prohibited political activities. As Americans, Air Force members are encouraged and expected to carry out their responsibilities as citizens. They are permitted to participate in the political process, but they are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activities. The public must remain confident that civilian control over the military remains unimpaired that undue military influence on the political process is not even a remote risk. Air Force members must, of course, refrain from participating in any political activity while in uniform. Likewise, they must not use government facilities to further political activities. In determining whether or not an activity violates the traditional American concept of political neutrality, common sense and the guidelines listed below should be followed. Air Force members must avoid any activity that could be interpreted as associating the Department of the Air Force with any partisan political cause or candidate. Above all, members in leadership positions should be sensitive that, in an election year, conduct that may otherwise seem innnocent could be seen as an attempt to influence the outcome of an election. 2 Permitted military activities Air Force members on active duty may: Register, vote, and express personal opinions A lot of attention is going to be devoted to politics in 1986. It's an election year. What are you, as a civilian, allowed to do to support the issued or candidates you believe in? The Civil Service Act, passed in 1883, and the Hatch Act, passed in 1939, give federal employees certain rights in political activities, but the laws also lay out some things employees can't do. The Hatch Act provides in general that federal employees may not take an active part in political management or in political campaigns even if they want to do so. However, the Hatch Act does permit political activity in nonpartisan election. That's one in which none of the candidates represents a political party that received votes for presidential electors in the last presidential election. The Hatch Act covers part-timand well as temporary employees as employees in the competitive or excepted service. e full-tim- e What employees may do You have the right, of course, to register and vote as you choose in any election. Even though your status as a federal employee places certain restrictions on partisan political activity, you still have an obligation as an American citizen to register and vote. Under certain circumstances you may be granted leave to do so. You may express your opinion as an individual citizen, privately and publicly, on all political subjects, issues and candidates as long as you don't take an active part in partisan political management or partisan political campaigns. You may petition Congress or any member of Congress, such as writing to your representatives and senators to say how you think they should vote on a particular issue. You may wear or display a political picture, sticker, badge or button, both on "and 'off dutyAndyoumay on political candidates and issues, but not as representatives of the Air Force or the armed forces. Encourage other military personnel to exercise their right to vote, but not attempt to influence or interfere with the outcome of an election. Join a political culb and attend its meetings, but not in uniform. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper, expressing personal views on public issues, but members may not attempt to promote a partisan political cause. Letters must be signed as individuals, not as military members. Make monetary contributions to a political organization, subject to the limits imposed by federal law. Display political stickers on their private automobiles. Attend political rallies as spectators in civilian clothes. Prohibited military activities Air Force members on active duty may not: Participate in partisan political management, campaigns or conventions. Make campaign contributions to a partisan political candidate (as contrasted with a political organization), to another military member, or to an employee of the federal government. Use official authority, position or influence to interfere with or affect the outcome of a political campaign. Seek votes for a particular candidate or issue. Seek political contributions from others. Assist in a voter registration drive sponsored a by partisan political organization. display a political sticker on your private automobile, subject to work-relate- d limitations. You may make a voluntary finan- cial campaign contribution to a political party or organization. You may take part in the nonpartisan activities of a civic, community, social, labor, professional or similar organization. You may sign a political petition as an individual private citizen. This includes nominating petitions. However, you may not initiate or circulate a petition or canvass for signatures if it is a nominating petition for a candidate in a partisan election. You may be a member of a political party or other political organization, attend meetings and vote on issues, but you may not take an active part in managing the organization. You may be politically active in connection with a question or issue that is not specifically identified with a political party, such as a constitutional amendment, referendum, approval of a municipal ordinance or similar issue. You may attend a political confunction or vention, rally, other political gathering, but you may not take an active part in conducting or managing such gatherings. You may, under limited circumstances, take an active part as an independent candidate in a partisan election or an an candidate in a nonpartisan election. You may, if elected, serve in the office if such service does not conflict or interfere with your federal duties. You may also actively supfund-raisin- g port or oppose an independent candidate in a partisan election. You may accept appointment to public office, provided your service in the office will not conflict or interfere with your federal duties. You may serve as an election judge or clerk, or in a similar type of position, to perform nonpartisan duties specified by state or local law. You may otherwise participate Become a candidate for civil office, except as expressly provided for in AFR 110-2- . Make public speeches in support of, or participate in partisan political management of, campaigns. Solicit or receive a campaign contribution from another military member or from a civilian officer or employee of the United States for the purpose of promoting any political objective or caused Cause or permit to be published partisan political articles signed or authorized by the member for the purpose of soliciting votes for or against a partisan political party or candidate. Serve in any official capacity or be listed as a sponsor of a partisan political club. Speak before a partisan political gathering of any kind to promote a partisan political party or candidate. Participate in any radio, television or other program or group discussion as an advocate of a partisan political party or candidate. Distribute any partisan political literature. Perform clerical or other duties for a partisan political committee during a campaign. acSolicit or otherwise engage in tivities in federal offices or facilities, including military bases, for a political cause or candidate. March or ride in a partisan political parade. Display a large political sign, banner or post on the top or side of private automobiles. Sell tickets for, or otherwise actively promote, political dinners and other such fund raising events. Attend, as official representatives of the Air Force, partisan political events even though they do not actively participate. (AFLCNS) fund-raisin- g fully in public affairs, except as prohibited by law, in a manner that does not materially compromise your efficiency or integrity as an employee and that does not compromise the neutrality, efficiency or integrity of the Air Force. What employees may not do The general prohibitions on political activity by federal employees are twofold. Employees may not use their official authority or influence to interfere with or affect the result of an election. And they may not take an active part in partisan political management or in partisan political campaigns. More specifically, these are prohibited activities: As a federal employee, you may not distribute partisan campaign material. You may not drive voters to the polls on behalf of a political party or a candidate in a partisan election. You may not endorse or oppose a candidate in a partisan election through a broadcast, a political advertisement, campaign literature or similar material. You may not participate in organizing or reorganizing a political party, organization or club. Although you may attend a convention, you may not serve as a delegate, alternate or proxy to the convention of a political party. You may not serve as an officer of a political party; a member of a national, state or local committee of a political party; nor an officer or member of a committee of a partisan political club. And you may not run as a candidate for any of these positions. You are not permitted to take an active part in a drive for a partisan political candidate or a political party or club. This means that you may not organize, sell tickets, promote nor seek support for such activities as political dinners. You may not solicit, receive, collect, handle, disburse, or account for assessments, contributions or other" fund-raisin- g fund-raisin- g funds for a partisan political purpose or in connection with a partisan election. You may not solicit political contributions from other federal employees. In fact, no person may solicit or receive political contributions in buildings where federal employees work. You may not work or act as a recorder, watcher, checker, challenger or similar officer at the polls on behalf of a political party or candidate in a partisan election. You may not take an active part in managing the political campaign of a candidate for public office in a partisan election nor a candidate for office in a political party. More broadly, you may not take an active part in partisan political management or in a political campaign, except as permitted by law or regulation. You may not be a partisan candidate for, nor campaign for, an elective public office in a partisan election. You may not be a candidate for nomination or election to a national or state office. You may not campaign for or against a political party, a candidate for public office in a partisan election, or a candidate for office in a political party. You may not address a state or national convention, caucus, rally or similar gathering of a political party to support or oppose a partisan candidate for public or political party office or to support or oppose a partisan political question. If you are uncertain about whether a particular action you consider taking would violate the political activity rules, contact your Staff Judge Advocate's Office or your Civilian Personnel Off;ce, or write the Office of the Special Counsel, 1717 H St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20419. You should obtain a ruling on the matter before engaging in the activity because ignorance of the provisions of the law will not excuse you from 'penalties fdf Violation. (AFLCNS) |