Is that OK? In our county, at least since the 2000 elections, it has not been done. Now a couple of newbies running for office are suggesting that electeds should "take sides." I couldn't find anything in the Election Code. Is this practice regulated, or just based on common sense? Thx

I don't know of any prohibition, except maybe judges and the code of judicial conduct. However, if there is such a law, what about the spuose of an elected offical and their ablility to exerecise their rights to free speech, with the yard being community property etc.
The same applies to city police officers whose department tries to discourage or prevent signs from being placed in those yards....I don't think they can do it anyway, and I sure don't think they can bind the spouses to such a policy. Just my $.02, having looked at it a few years ago regarding a proposed city policy.

You bright and worthy lawyers (otherwise known in Texas as "y'all") are right. The only restriction on this type of activity would apply to judges, and that may be subject to challenge under the Supreme Court's reasoning in the White case out of Minnesota (can you tell I'm shootin' from the hip?). The only other thing to bear in mind is the Hatch Act, which limits on-duty political activity of some employees whose positions are federally funded. But that really wouldn't bear on your question, now would it?

Hmmm - taken to the reasonable conclusion, such a prohibition would mean I couldn't put my sign in my yard. That raises an assortment of issues, including the first amendment...and makes any hard and fast rule (other than somthing involving judicial ethics) laughable.

I think - at least in smaller communities, the practice of electeds not getting involved in the races of others stems from the potential backlash. I have enough folk who will not vote for me; I don't need to pick up those who don't like my preferred candidate, also!

First, county government is hard enough to make work with the Byzantine web of unspoken rivalries and disagreements between various elected officials that exist without the necessity of having open hostilities declared by a yard sign or bumper sticker.

Second, it seems to me that this business of "everyone needs to take a side" is a disease that has infected every level of our political system. Both parties seem to operate on the toe-the-party-line-on-every-issue-or-we'll-find-somebody-who-will principle, leaving no room for civil discourse between leaders. I think the basis for this post is but a small symptom of this misunderstanding about how our political system works best.

In the end, I figure I have to work with whomever is elected, and having helped run against that person is not going to help that relationship.

Judges and others (judicial candidates, for example) are subject to the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 5 has the political prohibition, Canon 6 sets out who is bound by which provision.

http://www.scjc.state.tx.us/texcode.php


If you have an Elections Administrator, he/she is subject to some limitations, Elections Code
� 31.035. RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/el.toc.htm


For info on the Hatch Act and local employees, see

http://www.osc.gov/hatchact.htm