At election times, questions invariably are raised regarding whether WSU employees may engage in certain types of political and campaign activities. In accordance with the Ethics in Public Service Act (ethics act) (RCW 42.52.180(1)) addressing this topic:
‘No state officer or state employee may use or authorize the use of facilities of an agency, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of a person to an office or for the promotion of or opposition to a ballot proposition… Facilities of an agency include, but are not limited to, use of stationery, postage, machines, and equipment, use of state employees of the agency during working hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the agency, and clientele lists of persons served by the agency.’
Additional regulations related to the use of public resources for supporting political activity may be found in BPPM 60.90, BPPM 10.21, RCW 42.52.160, WAC 292-110-010, and WAC 292-110-020 (definition of ‘working hours’). While RCWs and WACs are the foremost rules regarding ethical conduct, following are a few recommendations to help you make good decisions this campaign season:
- De minimis use exceptions do not apply to political activities. This means that even a brief political email or phone call on state time or with state equipment or resources is prohibited.
- Individuals with the authority over other persons (such as supervisors) or with control over facilities, have a duty to halt such person’s use of state resources for political activities. Knowing acquiescence in such use is itself a violation of the ethics act.
- If you send email related to a candidate for office or ballot proposition, send it from your home email address, from your home computer, on your own time. Also, do not send political endorsements or other campaign materials to other employees’ state (WSU) email accounts, even if sent from your personal email account.
- If you make phone calls related to political activities, make them on your personal phone on your own time.
- Make sure your personal campaign activities do not interfere with your official duties or the official duties of any other state employee.
There are “neutral forums” on campus, such as Glen Terrell Mall (Pullman), where employees may go to campaign on the same basis as any other user of the Mall, provided that they are doing so on their own time, they are not given preferential treatment in reserving space, and it is clear that the employee is speaking on behalf of their own interests and not for the University.
For concerns or more information, please contact the Office of Internal Audit for assistance, at ia.central@wsu.edu.
