Ally Taylor | The News
At a recent Denham Springs City Council meeting, Mayor Gerard Landry released a letter highlighting a memorandum detailing how employees can interact with candidates for office.
“Several employees have asked for guidance regarding speaking to candidates for office,” the letter read, stating that the memorandum was “sent to all employees in response to these requests.”
Unclassified employees follow the prohibitions of the Lawrason Act, Louisiana Ethics Board, and Denham Springs Code of Ordinances, which specify that these employees are prohibited from engaging in political discussions or activity while on public time and from using public funds or positions to gain political favor.
Employees who are not in civil service positions may meet with a candidate or have a political discussion after hours.
The memorandum included with the letter was issued by the State Examiner’s Office and offers insight into how to address and interact with candidates for office for all Fire and Police Civil Service employees.
The memorandum clearly states that Fire and Police Civil Service employees MAY:
- Serve as a poll commissioner or official watcher on behalf of a governmental entity at the polls.
- Publicly support or oppose issues of public debate or election other than in support of or opposition to a candidate or political party or faction.
- Sell services that you regularly offer or sell for fair market value to a candidate or political party or faction, even if doing so requires your presence at a fundraiser. However, you may not reduce or waive your fee for political reasons.
- Be a member of a private organization that may, under certain circumstances, endorse a candidate for public office, so long as the primary purpose of the organization is not the support or opposition of candidates, political parties, or factions.
- Attend a free function open to the public where all candidates are invited, and any or all of the candidates attend to speak or present their views.
- Attend an election night party (even before the polls close), but not after a primary election that is to be followed by a runoff election.
- Attend an inaugural celebration or a victory party after election night that is not a fundraiser.
- Express your opinion privately and cast your vote.
The memorandum clearly states that Fire and Police Civil Service employees MAY NOT:
- Become a candidate for nomination or election to public office.
- Be a member of a national, state, or local committee of a political party or faction.
- Be an officer or member of a committee of any factional, political club, or organization.
- Make any political speech or public political statement on behalf of any candidate seeking to be elected to public office.
- Make or solicit contributions for any candidate, political party, or faction.
- Take any part in the management or the affairs of a political party, faction, candidate, or campaign.
- Be elected to public office.
- Attend any fund-raising function of a candidate or political party or faction – even if someone gives you a free ticket. A function will be considered a fundraiser if it is advertised that anything –including food– will be sold at the function – even if you do not plan to purchase anything.
- Solicit votes for or against a candidate, political party, or faction.
- Publicly announce, in writing or otherwise, support or opposition to a candidate, political party, or faction.
- Prepare or distribute campaign material for or against a candidate, political party, or faction.
- Contribute or volunteer time, effort, property, or anything of value in support of or opposition to a candidate, political party, or faction.
- Display a bumper sticker on the vehicle you drive in support of or opposition to a candidate, political party, or faction.
- Place a sign on your property supporting or opposing a candidate or political party or faction or allow anyone who is not your spouse to do so.
- Contribute or loan money in support of or opposition to a candidate, political party, or faction.
- Vote at the caucus or convention of a candidate or political party or faction.
- Wear, use, display, or distribute t-shirts, hats, stickers, pins, fans, water bottles, or any other material in support of or in opposition to a candidate, political party, or faction.
- “Like” or “follow” a candidate, party, or faction on Facebook, Twitter, or other form of social media.
