(a) Definitions.
(1) "Political party" means a National political party, a State political party, a County political party and an affiliated organization.
(2) "Election" includes a primary, special, and general election.
(3) "Nonpartisan election" means an election at which none of the candidates is to be nominated or elected as representing a political party any of whose candidates for Presidential elector receives votes in the last preceding election at which Presidential electors were selected.
(4) "Partisan" when used as an adjective refers to a political party.
(5) "Elective office" means any office which is voted upon at an election as defined in subsection (a)(2), above, but does not include political party office.
(b) Covered Employees. Employees in the classified service are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity to the extent defined in this section.
(c) Permitted Activities. The following activities are permissible for employees in the classified service:
(1) Registration and voting;
(2) Expression of opinions, either oral or written;
(3) Voluntary financial contributions to political candidates or organizations;
(4) Circulation of nonpartisan petitions or petitions stating views on legislation;
(5) Attendance at political rallies;
(6) Signing petitions in support of individuals, legislation or issues;
(7) Display of political materials in the employee's home or on the employee's property;
(8) Wearing political badges or buttons, or the display of political stickers on private vehicles;
(9) Serving as a precinct election official under Section 3501.22 of the Revised Code; and
(10) Campaign activities not expressly prohibited by subsection (d).
(d) Prohibited Activities. The following activities are prohibited for employees in the classified service:
(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 or political action committee which supports partisan activity;
(6) Acceptance of a party-sponsored appointment to any office normally filled by partisan election;
(7) Solicitation, either directly or indirectly, of any assessment, contribution or subscription, either monetary or in-kind, for any political party or political candidate;
(8) Solicitation of the sale, or actual sale, of political party tickets;
(9) Partisan activities at the election polls, such as solicitation of votes for other than nonpartisan candidates and nonpartisan issues;
(10) Service as witness or challenger for any party or partisan committee;
(11) Participation in political caucuses of a partisan nature; and
(e) Enforcement.
(1) Appointing authorities shall be primarily responsible for enforcement of this section and upon receipt of a complaint, shall investigate whether there is a violation of this section. The appointing authority may also request investigation by the review panel as noted below.
(2) There shall also be a review panel that shall have the authority to investigate a potential violation of this section and recommend action to the Appointing Authority. The panel shall include a representative from the following offices; Executive, Fiscal Office, Engineer, Clerk of Courts, Sheriff, Prosecutor, County Council, and the Human Resource Commission. The office in which the employee works who is alleged to have violated this section shall not participate in the review. When a complaint is filed with the Human Resource Commission, it shall refer the complaint to the review panel for investigation.
(f) Penalties. An employee in the classified service who engages in any of the activities prohibited by subsection (d) is subject to discipline up to and including termination. The appointing authority may initiate such discipline in accordance with the procedures established in Chapter 169 and the appointing authority's personnel procedures.
(g) Effective Date. This section shall become effective immediately for all employees including those currently seeking partisan elected office. Employees currently holding partisan elective office shall be permitted to finish their current term.
(Ord. 2011-207. Adopted 8-29-11; Ord. 2022-183. Adopted 6-27-22.)