Fiscal Note
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Title
ALTERNATE - Creating Section 3.35(8)(g) of the Madison General Ordinances to establish limitations on political and campaign activities of election employees.
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DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: This Alternate creates more specific definitions of what constitutes "Political Activity" or "Campaign Activity" and limits its operation to employees in the City Clerk's office with election-related duties, excluding pollworkers from the limitations in the ordinance. Since one part of the ordinance forbids Campaign Activity within the last 12 months, the ordinance has an effective date 12 months from passage. The ordinance does not in any way limit the ability of the City Clerk to re-assign workers to non-election duties in order to comply with the ordinance.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Subdivision (g) entitled "Limitations on Political and Campaign Activities of Election Employees" of Subsection (8) entitled "Political Activity" of Section 3.35 entitled "Code of Ethics" is created to read as follows:
"(g) Limitations On Political And Campaign Activities Of Election Employees.
1. In order to assure that elections conducted under the authority of the City Clerk's office remain free from influence by persons with an interest in the outcome of the elections, the City of Madison adopts the following limitations on political and campaign activities of election employees and volunteers.
2. Definitions. As used in this Subdivision (g):
a. "Election Employee" means any person working (with or without pay) in the City Clerk's Office for the City of Madison whose duties include the oversight of the conduct of elections or the receipt or review of election filings such as nomination papers or finance reports, but does not include pollworkers.
b. "Leadership Position" means the following: administrator, director, officer, other custodian of books and accounts, political director or chair of elections committees for a political party, principal officer, or other position of similar authority.
c. "Political Activity" means serving in a Leadership Position for a conduit, independent committee, legislative campaign committee, political party committee or special interest committee (PAC), all as defined in chapter 11 of the Wisconsin Statutes or by the State Elections Board on Form EB-1.
d. "Campaign Activity" means being a candidate or an individual required to file a Form EB-1 with the State Elections Board, or serving in a Leadership Position with a personal campaign/candidate committee, political group (referendum), or recall committee, all as defined in chapter 11 of the Wisconsin Statutes or by the State Elections Board on Form EB-1.
3. No person shall work for the City as an Election Employee if that person engaged in Political Activity in Madison within the 12 months preceding the election. No person shall work for the City as an Election Employee if that person was engaged in Campaign Activity within Madison for any candidate or matter on the ballot at that election.
4. This subsection (g) shall be effective twelve (12) months after passage."