State of Washington

Ethics Advisory Committee

Question

May a court employee be actively engaged in a partisan political campaign? May a court employee hold an office in the campaign committee? May a court employee have his or her name appear on the campaign’s literature?

Answer

A judge does not violate the Code of Judicial Conduct when a court employee, subject to the judge’s direction, actively engages in a partisan political campaign. The judge should, nevertheless, caution the court employee that the employee’s title is not to be revealed on any campaign literature, that no political activities are to be conducted during working hours, or in the employee’s office and that the employee is to avoid giving the impression that the judge has endorsed the employee’s participation in the campaign.

Opinion 90-08

06/04/1990