Political Activity Policy

The following guidelines are meant to assist Library staff and volunteers to stay within the rules and regulations of the Public Disclosure Commission and state law and to clarify employee rights in this area. These laws apply to employees and property of state, county and local governments and their subdivisions.

RCW 41.06.250 (civil service law) and RCW 42.17.130 (open government law) cover the area of "political activities." RCW 41.06.250 contains three basic points:

• Solicitation for or payment to any partisan, political organization or for any partisan, political purpose of any compulsory assessment or involuntary contribution is prohibited.
• No person shall solicit on the property of a political subdivision of this state any contribution to be used for partisan, political purposes.
• Employees. . . shall have the right to vote and to express their opinions on all political subjects and candidates and to hold any political party office or participate in the management of a partisan, political campaign.

RCW 42.17.130 prohibits elective officials and employees from using any of the facilities of an agency for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person. . .or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot proposition. "Facilities" include, but are not limited to, "stationery, postage, machines and equipment, use of employees of the office or agency during working hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the office or agency, and clientele lists of persons served by the office or agency."

Listed below are a number of Don'ts based on the above statutes plus advice from the Attorney General's Office and the Public Disclosure Commission:

• Don't, on a compulsory basis, solicit involuntary assessments or contributions for a partisan political purpose.
• Don't solicit political contributions in the library.
• Don't solicit political contributions on Library time.
• Don't campaign on Library time.
• Don't use library phones for campaign purposes or solicitation of funds.
• Don't use library supplies, equipment or facilities to print, mail or otherwise produce material for a political purpose (i.e., duplicating machines, mail facilities, computers, typewriters and paper products).
• Based on the same input as the Don'ts above, listed below are things staff and volunteers may voluntarily do:
  1. You may campaign for any candidate on your own time, wear lapel buttons, display campaign stickers on your private auto, distribute candidate's materials, speak before groups on a candidate's behalf, and otherwise promote the candidate of your own choice for a political office (all on your own time).
  2. You may respond to political inquiry by providing routine factual information such as the address of the candidate or his/her staff.
  3. You may participate in the management of a political campaign on your own time.
  4. You may hold any office within a political party.
  5. You may solicit voluntary campaign contributions for any candidate or issue on your own time.
  6. You may make personal campaign contributions for any candidate or issue. (IRS rule allows for a limited direct tax credit for political contributions.)

The Don'ts and You Mays listed above may not cover all questions that may come up during an election campaign. Individuals who have questions should speak with the Library Director.

Regarding Wearing Political Buttons, Pins, Etc.:

• An employee or volunteer is not acting in violation of RCW 42.17.130 when he or she wears a typical campaign pin or button during normal working hours. Simply wearing a button which encourages support for or opposition to any candidate or ballot proposition, either directly or indirectly, is a form of personal expression and is not to be regarded as a "use of facilities" within the meaning and intent of the above-referenced statute.
• Staff and volunteers who choose to wear such pins or buttons are urged to exercise caution and prudence. Such personal expression can quite easily lead to other activities which are prohibited.

Adopted 9/1992

Reviewed 2/2002, 8/2006