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Election Year Reminder |
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This is an election year and all officers are reminded that it is the policy
of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) that officers are
strongly encouraged to carry out the obligations of citizenship including the free
exercise of one's right to vote. However, while officers are encouraged to register,
vote, and participate in the electoral process, officers should be aware that unlike
their civilian counterparts, Federal law and regulation(s) prohibit officers
from engaging in certain types of political activities. For example, Corps officers may
not:
- Actively participate in 'partisan' political management or in a partisan political
campaign, whether at the Federal, State, or local level.
In this context, 'partisan'
means affiliation with a political organization whose candidate for the President
received one or more electoral votes in the prior presidential election;
- Raise funds, sell tickets, distribute materials, solicit votes, or make a speech
as part of the campaign for a candidate for public office in a partisan election
(these activities are also proscribed for independent candidates if there is any
candidate representing a partisan political party);
- Assist in voter registration drives targeted to one party and may not work at the
polls on behalf of partisan candidates or political parties acting as checkers,
watchers, or in similar positions. Moreover, officers may not avoid these requirements
by confining political activities to after-hours or on weekends, by using annual
or other leave, or taking a leave of absence; and
- Make political contributions to any Federal official who is the 'employer or employing
authority' of the contributor. This restriction does not apply to family members
or to contributions made to national, State, or local committees of political parties,
political action committees, or to other campaigns or organizations, subject to
the limits enforced by the Federal Election Commission.
For more information on the types of political activities that officers may be permitted
to engage in, officers are advised to review Inst 211.01, AStandards of Conduct,@
of the Commissioned Corps Issuance System at
http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_1_1.pdf ; Corps Standards of Conduct
Memorandum and U.S. Office of Special Counsel at
http://dcp.psc.gov/PDF_docs/Standards_May2004.pdf ; and the regulations
contained at 45 CFR 73.735-601-73. 735.603 on the U.S. Office of Government Ethics
Web site http://www.usoge.gov
Officers are also advised to contact their Operating Division/Staff Division/non-Department
of Health and
Human Services organization Ethics Counselor(s) and/or the Office
of Commissioned Corps Force Management at 240-453-6161 or
OCCFMHelpdesk@hhs.gov
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