Rule 3349-8-70 | Political activity.
(A) Purpose
To establish a rule that will eliminate inappropriate conflicts between the obligations of employment and certain political activities of classified civil service employees.
(B) Scope
This rule applies to all classified civil service employees at the university.
(C) Definitions.
(1) Consult rule 3349-7-01 of the Administrative Code.
(2) "Political Activity" and "Politics" are partisan activities, campaigns, and elections involving primaries, partisan ballots, or partisan candidates.
(D) Rule statement
(1) Employees in the classified service are prohibited from engaging in political activity.
(2) The following are examples of permissible activities for university employees:
(a) Registration and voting;
(b) Expression of opinions, either oral or written;
(c) Voluntary financial contributions to political candidates or organizations;
(d) Circulation of nonpartisan petitions or petitions stating views on legislation;
(e) Attendance at political rallies;
(f) Signing nominating petitions in support of individuals;
(g) Display of political materials in the employee's home or on the employee's property;
(h) Wearing political badges or buttons, or the display of political stickers on private vehicles; and
(i) Serving as a precinct election official under section 3501.22 of the Revised Code.
(3) The following activities are prohibited to employees:
(a) Candidacy for public office in a partisan election;
(b) 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;
(c) Filing of petitions meeting statutory requirements for partisan candidacy to elective office;
(d) Circulation of official nominating petitions for any candidate participating in a partisan election;
(e) Service in an elected or appointed office in any partisan political organization;
(f) Acceptance of a party-sponsored appointment to any office normally filled by partisan election;
(g) 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;
(h) Solicitation, either directly or indirectly, of any assessment, contribution or subscription, either monetary or in-kind, for any political party or political candidate;
(i) Solicitation of the sale, or actual sale, of political party tickets;
(j) Partisan activities at the election polls, such as solicitation of votes for other than nonpartisan candidates and nonpartisan issues;
(k) Service as, witness or challenger, for any party or partisan committee;
(l) Participation in political caucuses of a partisan nature; and
(m) Participation in a political action committee which supports partisan activity.
(4) Employees in the classified civil service who engage in any of the prohibited activities set forth in paragraph (D)(3) of this rule are subject to removal from their position in the classified civil service. The appointing authority will initiate an investigation in case of a violation and take action if appropriate.
(5) Service in an appointed or elected position is prohibited when such position is subordinate to or in any way a check upon a position concurrently occupied by a classified or unclassified employee, or when it is physically impossible for one person to discharge the duties of both positions, or if some specific constitutional or statutory bar exists prohibiting a person from serving both positions.
Supplemental Information