Campaign Ethics

Campaign ethics are the rules and practices that keep elections fair by separating government operations from political campaigning and protecting public resources and trust.

Federal rules on official resources

Federal law and congressional rules bar using government time, offices, equipment, or funds for campaign purposes, and limit official communications near elections to prevent government-funded messaging from influencing voters.

Federal employee limits

Civil servants face specific restrictions on partisan activity to avoid coercion and preserve nonpartisan administration; for an in-depth explanation of these limits, see The Hatch Act: How Federal Rules Ban Government Workers from Politics.

Campaign funds and accountability

Campaign money must pay solely for campaign purposes, with record-keeping and reporting requirements that prevent personal use and help enforcement authorities identify misuse.

Why it matters

These ethics rules protect taxpayer funds, prevent misuse of public office for partisan gain, and help maintain citizens’ confidence that government serves the public interest rather than particular political campaigns.