BUCYRUS — The administration of the City of Bucyrus has issued a press release that they will be adhering to the Ohio Revised Code that governs city classified employees in regard to the upcoming primary and general elections this year.
According to the city’s law director, Rob Ratliff, the city was prompted to review the law after learning that a classified city employee obtained a petition from the Crawford County Board of Elections for the city’s mayoral position.
“There are different levels that some agencies and municipalities choose to implement but the city is enforcing the law the way it reads,” Ratliff said.
Ratliff said non-classified city employees are allowed to run in a partisan election while classified employees are not, under the law. A classified employee typically is paid on an hourly basis while unclassified employees normally are paid on a salary basis.
Ratliff sent out the following press release:
In an effort to alleviate confusion in the community, the City of Bucyrus Law Director is providing this outline on state law regarding political activity by employees in the classified civil service.
Prohibited Political Activity by Classified Employees
Under Ohio law, restrictions on political activities are placed upon classified employees in the civil service. The Ohio Administrative Code defines classified service for the purpose of political activities as “all persons in active pay status serving in the competitive classified civil service of the State.” Prohibited activities for classified employees include, but are not limited to, the following. Ohio Admin. Code Ann. §123:1-46-02, Ohio Revised Code 124.57.
- Candidacy for public office in a partisan election;
- Candidacy for public office in a nonpartisan general election if the nomination to candidacy was obtained in a partisan primary or through the circulation of nominating petitions identified with a political party;
- Filing of petitions meeting statutory requirements for partisan candidacy to elective office;
- Circulation of official nominating petitions for any candidate participating in a partisan election;
- Service in an elected or appointed office in any partisan political organization;
- Acceptance of a party-sponsored appointment to any office normally filled by partisan elections;
- Campaigning by writing for publications, by distributing political material, or by writing or making speeches on behalf of a candidate for partisan elective office, when such activities are directed toward party success;
- Solicitation, either directly or indirectly, of any assessment, contribution or subscription, either monetary or in-kind, for any political party or political candidate;
- Solicitation of the sale, or actual sale, of political party tickets;
- Partisan activities at the election polls, such as solicitation of votes for other than nonpartisan candidates and nonpartisan issues;
- Service as, witness or challenger, for any party or partisan committee;
- Participation in political caucuses of a partisan nature; and
- Participation in a political action committee which supports partisan activity.
Classified employees are permitted to engage in the following types of political activities, provided the employee is off-duty:
- Registration and voting;
- Expression of opinions, either oral or written;
- Voluntary financial contributions to political candidates or organizations;
- Circulation of nonpartisan petitions or petitions stating views on legislation;
- Attendance at political rallies;
- Signing nominating petitions in support of individuals;
- Display of political materials in the employee’s home or on the employee’s property;
- Wearing political badges or buttons, or the display of political stickers on private vehicles; and
- Serving as a precinct election official under section 3501.22 of the Revised Code.
A complete listing of the applicable rules regarding political activity is found in Ohio Admin. Code §123:1-46-02.