Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 29, 2025

Title 45 - Public Welfare last revised: Oct 21, 2025
§ 73.503 - Prohibited activities.

(a) Participation in political activities while on duty, in uniform, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties or using a Federal vehicle; prohibition. An employee covered under this subpart may not participate in political activities:

(1) While the employee is on duty;

(2) While the employee is wearing a uniform, badge, insignia, or other similar item that identifies the employing agency or instrumentality or the position of the employee;

(3) While the employee is in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the Government of the United States or any agency or instrumentality of the United States; or

(4) While using a Government-owned or Government-leased vehicle or while using a privately owned vehicle in the discharge of official duties.

Example 1 to paragraph (a):A covered employee who uses the employee's privately owned vehicle on a recurrent basis for official business may place a partisan political bumper sticker on the vehicle, as long as the bumper sticker is covered while the vehicle is being used for official duties. Example 2 to paragraph (a):A covered employee who uses the employee's privately owned vehicle on official business must cover any partisan political bumper sticker while the vehicle is being used for official duties if the vehicle is clearly identified as being on official business. Example 3 to paragraph (a):A covered employee who uses the employee's privately owned vehicle only on an occasional basis to drive to another Federal agency for a meeting, or to take a training course, is not required to cover a partisan political bumper sticker on the vehicle. Example 4 to paragraph (a):A covered employee may not place a partisan political bumper sticker on any Government-owned or Government-leased vehicle. Example 5 to paragraph (a):A covered employee may place a bumper sticker on the employee's privately owned vehicle and park the vehicle in a parking lot of an agency or instrumentality of the United States Government or in a non-Federal facility for which the employee receives a subsidy from the employing agency or instrumentality. Example 6 to paragraph (a):A covered employee may not wear partisan political buttons or display partisan political pictures, signs, stickers, or badges while the employee is on duty or at the place of work.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) Use of official authority; prohibition. An employee covered under this subpart may not use the employee's official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.

(d) Participation in political management and political campaigning; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not take an active part in political management or in a political campaign, except as permitted by this subpart.

(e) Participation in political organizations; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not:

(1) Serve as an officer of a political party; as a member of a national, State, or local committee of a political party; or as an officer or member of a committee of a partisan political group; or

(2) Be a candidate for any of the positions listed in paragraph (e)(1) of this section;

(3) Organize or reorganize a political party organization or partisan political group;

(4) Serve as a delegate, alternate, or proxy to a political party convention; or

(5) Address a convention, caucus, rally, or similar gathering of a political party or partisan political group in support of or in opposition to a candidate for partisan political office or political party office, if the address is done in concert with a candidate, political party, or partisan political group.

(f) Participation in political fundraising; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not:

(1) Solicit, accept, or receive political contributions; or

(2) Organize, sell tickets to, promote, or actively participate in a fundraising activity of a candidate for partisan political office, of a political party, or of a partisan political group.

(g) Participation in political campaigning; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not:

(1) Take an active part in managing the political campaign of a candidate for partisan political office or a candidate for political party office;

(2) Campaign for partisan political office;

(3) Canvass for votes in support of or in opposition to a candidate for partisan political office or a candidate for political party office, if the canvassing is done in concert with a candidate, a political party, or partisan political group;

(4) Endorse or oppose a candidate for partisan political office or a candidate for political party office in a political advertisement, broadcast, campaign literature, or similar material if the endorsement or opposition is done in concert with a candidate, political party, or partisan political group; or

(5) Initiate or circulate a partisan nominating petition.

(h) Participation in elections; prohibitions. An employee covered under this subpart may not:

(1) Be a candidate for partisan political office;

(2) Act as recorder, watcher, challenger, or similar officer at polling places in concert with a political party, a partisan political group, or a candidate for partisan political office;

(3) Drive voters to polling places in concert with a political party, a partisan political group, or a candidate for partisan political office.

authority: 5 U.S.C. 301.
source: 46 FR 7369, Jan. 23, 1981, as amended at 90 FR 40978, Aug. 22, 2025, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 45 CFR 73.503