§ 8-4. Misuse of official position.

(a) No officer or employee of the city, except as hereinafter exempted from the provisions of this section, shall:

(1) Use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or a nomination of office or coercing or influencing another person's vote or affecting the result thereof.

(2) Directly or indirectly coerce or attempt to coerce, command or advise any other officer or employee to pay, lend, or contribute any part of his salary, any sum of money, or anything else of value to any political party, committee, organization, agency, or person for political purposes; provided, however, nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a city employee from suggesting to another city employee in a noncoercive manner that he may voluntarily contribute to a fund which is administered by a political party, committee, organization, agency, person, labor union, or other organization for political purposes.

(3) Directly or indirectly coerce or attempt to coerce, command or advise any city officer or employee as to where he might purchase commodities or to interfere in any other way with the personal right of such officer or employee for, or as a result of, political purposes.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not be construed so as to prevent any city officer or employee from becoming a candidate for and actively campaigning for any elective office in this state. All such persons shall retain the right to vote as they may choose and to express opinions on any political subject and candidate. The provision of subsection (a)(1) of this section shall not be construed so as to limit the political activity in general, special, primary, bond, referendum or any other election of any kind or nature, of elected officials or candidates for office in the city.

(c) Nothing contained in this section or in the City Charter shall be deemed to prohibit any public employee from expressing his opinions on any candidate or issue or from participating in any political campaign during his off-duty time so long as such activities are not prohibited by this section.

(d) Any officer or employee of the city using his official position to support or oppose a candidate for elective city office shall be guilty of an unfair campaign practice and a municipal ordinance violation punishable as provided in section 1-15 of the City Code, provided that this subsection shall not prohibit public endorsements or other expressions of support or opposition.

(Ord. No. 2003-15, § 1, 6-3-03)