(a) No person shall be appointed or promoted to, or demoted or dismissed from, any position in the classified service, or in any way favored or discriminated against with respect to employment in the classified service because of his or her political or religious opinions or affiliations or his or her race.
(b) No person shall seek or attempt to use any political endorsement in connection with any appointment to a position in the classified service.
(c) No person shall use or promise to use, directly or indirectly, any official authority or influence, whether possessed or anticipated, to secure or attempt to secure for any person an appointment, or advantage in appointment, to a position in the classified service, or an increase in pay or other advantage in employment in any such position, for the purpose of influencing the vote or political action of any person, or for any consideration.
(d) No employee in the classified service shall directly or indirectly, pay or promise to pay any assessment, subscription, or contribution for any political organization or purpose, or solicit or take any part in soliciting any such assessment, subscription, or contribution. No person shall solicit any such assessment, subscription, or contribution of any employee in the classified service.
(e) No employee in the classified service shall be a member of any national, state, or local committee of a political party, or an officer of a partisan political club or take any part in the management or affairs of any political party or in any political campaign, except exercise his or her right as a citizen privately to express his or her opinion and to cast his or her vote. This subsection shall not apply to judges or attorneys at law, nor shall same be applicable to an employee in the classified service who has applied for and obtained from the personnel board a leave of absence for not less than two nor more than eight months for the purpose of qualifying and campaigning for nomination and election to a public office; such leave of absence shall be granted upon formal request therefor and shall be without pay but no such employee shall forfeit retirement, leave, vacation, or any other privileges or benefits by reason of the granting of such leave of absence for such purpose.
(f) Any officer or employee in the classified service who violates this section shall forfeit his or her office or position.
Last modified: May 3, 2021