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BEST BEST & KRIEGER <br />ATTORNEYS AT LAW <br />Memorandum <br />7915 rAr"y --a r1,I ';: I I <br />CITY C- <br />CL» P 1 r Iry h. <br />To: PUBLIC AGENCY CLIENTS <br />From: BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP <br />Date: APRIL 27, 2015 <br />Re: ELECTIONS & CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY - LAWS & REGULATIONS <br />Introduction <br />As we approach election season, the Public Policy and Ethics Compliance Group <br />thought it appropriate to alert our participating public agency clients to the laws and <br />regulations that limit or restrict election and campaign related activity. The public and <br />media are very attuned to improper governmental election related activity, and the best <br />safeguard against running afoul of the law is to know the rules. Awareness of the <br />applicable laws and regulations, and having clear internal guidelines, will also serve to <br />prevent internecine problems and disputes from arising within the agency. <br />This memo is not an exhaustive treatise, as the rules governing and restricting <br />campaigns and election related activity can be found in federal and state law, as well as <br />in local ordinances and policy statements. This memo will, however, mention features <br />common to local government entity policy statements. The intent is to assist your <br />agency in identifying issues which might arise, and to ensure that your agency has <br />policies in place to respond to such concerns. <br />Discussion <br />POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF PUBLIC OFFICERS & EMPLOYEES <br />The major provisions of state law regulating political activities by state and local <br />agency officers and employees are found in Sections 3201-3209 of the Government <br />Code. (However, school districts should refer to Education Code Sections 7050 et seq.) <br />Section 3203 prohibits a local agency from enacting restrictions on political activities of <br />officers or employees unless necessary to comply with federal law, except as otherwise <br />specified in these sections, and except for regulating political activities during working <br />hours or on the premises of the local agency. (Gov. Code § 3207) Section 3208 <br />provides that these sections are the only restrictions on the political activities of state <br />employees. <br />This product is provided under the Public Policy & Ethics Group Program <br />93939, 00001\96870112 <br />