All personnel are strongly encouraged to register and to exercise their right to vote. Personnel desiring to seek election to public office should report this information to the President by complying with the policy on outside employment.
According to the State of Alabama Chief Deputy Attorney General, the following statements are in compliance with Sections 17-1-7 and 36-26-38 of the Code of Alabama with respect to political activities by state employees and Sections 36-12-60 to 36-12-64 with respect to the use of state-owned property:
- A state employee may seek public office on his or her own time without being required to take a leave of absence from his or her employment.
- A state employee may endorse candidates and contribute to campaigns of his or her choice.
- A state employee may join political clubs and organizations and state or national political parties.
- A state employee may publicly support issues, referendums, and candidates.
- A state employee may not use state funds, property, or time while engaging in any political activities, including those activities listed above.
- A state employee while engaging in political activity must be on approved leave or on personal time before or after work or on holidays.
- Neither a state employee nor a state official may solicit campaign contributions from other employees who work for the employee or official in a subordinate capacity.
- Neither a state employee nor a state official may coerce or attempt to coerce any subordinate employee to work in any political campaign or cause.
- A state employee may not transport campaign literature in a state-owned vehicle or in a privately owned vehicle if mileage is paid by the state for the official business trip.
- A state employee may place bumper stickers expressing his or her political views on a private automobile.
- A state employee who must travel on official state business in his or her privately owned vehicle and claim mileage for such travel is not prohibited from placing a political bumper sticker on the private automobile.
- The federal Hatch Act may be applicable to those employees whose principal employment is in connection with an activity that is financed in whole or in part by federal loans or grants. Essentially, the Hatch Act prohibits those employees from being a candidate for public office in a partisan election (Memorandum: Political Activities by State Employees. Keith S. Miller, Chief Deputy Attorney General, State of Alabama, to General Counsel, State of Alabama. April 4, 2006).
No institution under the authority, direction, and control of the ACCS Board of Trustees shall organize, administer, operate, or participate in any political action committee or like organization. Employees shall not use the name of the College for any political action committee or like organization of institutional employees. Presidents and other administrators shall not intimidate, coerce, threaten, or in any manner attempt to persuade any employee to join and/or make contributions to any political action committee or like organization of institutional employees (Board Policy 216.01, 12/14/16).