Opinion ID: 1673440
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 22

Heading: Political Conduct in General

Text: (1) A judge or a candidate for election to judicial office should not: (a) act as a leader or hold any office in a political organization; (b) make speeches for a political organization or candidate or publicly endorse a candidate for public office; COMMENTARY A candidate does not publicly endorse another candidate for public office by having his name on the same ticket. A judge or a candidate for judicial office does not publicly endorse another candidate by attending any political function given on behalf of a candidate for judicial office. (c) solicit funds for or pay an assessment or make a contribution to a political organization or candidate or purchase tickets for political party dinners, or other functions, except as authorized in subsection A(2); (2) A judge holding an office filled by public election between competing candidates, or a candidate for such office, may, only insofar as permitted by law, attend political gatherings and speak to such gatherings on his own behalf when he is a candidate for election or re-election. (3) A judge should resign his office when he becomes a candidate either in a party primary or in a general election for a non-judicial office, except that he may continue to hold his judicial office while being a candidate for election to or serving as a delegate in a state constitutional convention, if he is otherwise permitted by law to do so. (4) A judge should not engage in any other political activity except on behalf of measures to improve the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice.