School Election Guidelines

1
School Election Guidelines

• Lorraine Wilson, JD
• Director of Labor and Legislative Relations
• Tacoma Public Schools
• [phone]
• lwilson_at_tacoma.k12.wa.us

2
Presentation Overview

• Use of Public Facilities Issues
• Statutory and Regulatory Background
• Review of Current Guidelines
• Public Lobbying Issues Statutory and Regulatory
  Background

3
Use of Public Facilities

• The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) is charged
  with enforcing the Public Disclosure Act, Ch.
  42.17 RCW.
• RCW 42.17.130 prohibits the use of public
  facilities in support of or opposition to
  candidates or ballot measures

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Public Facilities Definition

• Stationery
• Postage
• Machines
• Equipment
• Employees During Work Hours

• Vehicles
• Office Space
• Publications
• Client Lists
• Other Things

5
Public Facilities Exceptions

• Actions taken by governing bodies expressing
  support or opposition to a ballot measure.
• Elected officials responding to questions at
  press conferences.
• Normal and regular conduct of the agency.

6
Overview of the Guidelines

• Relevant statutory and rule provisions are
  provided.
• Eight Basic Principles are listed, to provide
  general guidance on public facilities issues.
• Advice is provided on using and interpreting the
  Guidelines.
• Specific guidance is provided in a grid format.

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Guidelines Basic Principles

• Use of public facilities for campaigns is barred
• Districts must communicate about programs and
  ballot measures
• Districts instill civic virtue
• Employees have civil rights

• Supervisors need to understand the law
• Board members can support measures
• PDC enforces the law, in context
• One publication per ballot measure is expected,
  more may be defensible

8
Grid Structure
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Sampling of Issues

• What are employee work hours? PDC leaves to
  employer
• State law bars pressuring employees into
  supporting ballot measures or candidates
• Objective and fair presentation of the facts
  means presenting the tax rate and other downsides
  of a ballot measure in district publications
• All publications must be objective and fair
• The usual normal and regular scope questions

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Public Lobbying The Statute, RCW 42.17.190

• Contains a general prohibition on using public
  sector funds for lobbying.
• Exceptions include
• Requests for legislation or appropriations
• Communications of official business or advocating
  official positions or interests.
• Quarterly reporting is required unless total
  district lobbying is less than four days or parts
  of days per quarter.

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Lobbying or Demon-stration Questions

• If consistent with district position, could
  transport any number of staff, without leave.
• If district did not support, leave would be
  required.
• Even then, buses could be rented if consistent
  with district practice.

• If supported, lobbying reported. If not, not.
• Cannot rally com-munity support.
• Non-Olympia rally may not be lobbying.
• Use of district e-mail is fine, if district
  supports the action, but cannot include citizens.

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The End.