Page 114 - Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual

B. Coercion/Intimidation of Public Employees. No officer or employee of Augusta, Georgia shall use
his or her public office or employment for the purpose of or with the effect of –

1. Coercing or intimidating any Augusta, Georgia employee with respect to contributing to,
opposing, promoting, or refraining from contributing to, opposing or promoting any political
cause of or candidate.

2. Obtaining a benefit as a result of any political activity by intentionally committing an
unauthorized act under color of law or intentionally refraining from performing a duty imposed
upon him or her by law.

C. Illegal Political Activities. No officer or employee of Augusta, Georgia shall engage in any political
activity that is prohibited under federal or state law. Any person engaging in such an activity shall be
subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. The following list of activities is not
exhaustive and is included for illustrative purposes only. Any illegal activity which is prohibited by
federal or state law but which fails to appear on this list is hereby incorporated by reference. No officer
or employee shall -

1. Engage in any of the following activities within 150 feet of a polling place:
a) Electioneering;
b) Circulating cards or handbills;
c) Soliciting signatures;
d) Interfering with voting or the administration of the polling place; or
e) Conducting an exit or public opinion poll.

2. Obstruct or prevent access to a polling place.

3. Remove a ballot from a polling place or solicit a voter to show his or her ballot.

4. Attempt to intimidate, influence, or bribe a voter by menace, force, threat, or corrupt means.

5. Directly or indirectly offer a bribe or reward to induce a voter to vote for or against a person or
proposition.

6. Attempt to influence a voter to vote or not to vote, directly or indirectly, by menace or corrupt
means.

7. Hinder, disturb, persuade, threaten, or intimidate any person from giving his or her vote.

8. Knowingly and willfully make a false assertion or propagate a false report concerning a
candidate which has a tendency to prevent his or her election.

D. Conflicts of Interest. If any Augusta, Georgia employee seeks or accepts appointment or election to
any public office that when the seeking or holding of such office would be incompatible or would
substantially interfere with the discharge of his or her duties as an Employee of Augusta, Georgia, such
employee shall request a leave of absence without pay while seeking such office and resign employment
with Augusta, Georgia if such office is obtained.

All Rights Reserved – As approved by the Commission on 05-07-2019 114 | P a g e