Feds could run for political office in Virginia county, under proposed rule

[The Straight Story]

Feds could run for political office in Virginia county, under proposed rule
By Kellie Lunney [e-mail] August 19, 2011

Most federal employees living in King George County, Va., would be partially exempt from restrictions on political activity under a proposed rule from the Office of Personnel Management.

The draft rule, which the Federal Register will publish on Monday, would allow most federal employees residing in the northeastern Virginia county to run as independent candidates for election to local partisan political office. The exemption also would allow certain federal workers to solicit, accept or receive a political contribution as, or on behalf of, an independent candidate for partisan political office in local elections. In addition, they could receive political contributions on behalf of a party-affiliated candidate for local partisan political office. The same exemption would apply to soliciting or accepting volunteer campaign services.

The Hatch Act restricts federal, state and local government employees from certain political activity. Prohibited activities include running for office in partisan elections or engaging in political activity while on duty or in a government office. Federal workers also cannot solicit or receive political contributions from any person except in certain instances involving labor organizations or employee groups. Federal employees are allowed to be candidates for office in nonpartisan elections, contribute money to political organizations, and campaign for or against candidates in partisan elections, among other freedoms.

The law provides some allowances for federal workers in Maryland, Virginia and other designated localities. OPM has the authority to grant the partial exemption under certain conditions to communities where the government employs large numbers of voters or are in the immediate vicinity of the District of Columbia. Another factor the agency considers in determining an exemption is whether certain circumstances dictate that the interests of the employees are served by permitting their local political participation.

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