The following all-employee message from the Secretary provides a good summary of what you can and cannot do with regard to political activity.

                                         Cathy Hill

All DOI Employee Message: Memo on Political Activity

NOTE TO SUPERVISORS:  Please ensure employees without access to e-mail
receive a hard copy of this message.

Memorandum

To:            All DOI Employees

From:          Secretary

Subject:       Political Activity

Recently, a number of news stories have appeared focusing on federal
employees alleged violations of the Hatch Act.  I am deeply concerned with
these stories.  Our Department?s mission to protect and conserve the
Nation's lands must be free of political coercion or misconduct.  I am
therefore reiterating that this Department will not tolerate any political
activities that are in violation of the Hatch Act.  I expect full
compliance with the Hatch Act and all related political activity
regulations and policies.

The Constitution provides us all with certain rights, including the right
to vote, but unlike other citizens, federal employees have an additional
responsibility:  we must always be aware of our role as public servants,
and we must ensure that the public has the utmost confidence in their
Government at all times.  Toward that end, the Hatch Act restricts
political activities of government employees in certain ways.  Generally,
all employees:

   May register and vote as they choose
   May be candidates for public office in nonpartisan elections
   May assist in voter registration drives
   May express opinions about candidates and issues
   May contribute money to political organizations
   May attend political fundraising functions
   May join and be an active member of a political party or club

Although the limitations vary for different groups of employees, certain
Hatch Act restrictions apply to all DOI employees.  Under the Hatch Act,
most employees:

   MAY NOT use their official authority or influence to interfere with an
   election
   MAY NOT solicit, accept or receive political contributions unless both
   individuals are members of the same federal labor organization or
employee
   organization and the one solicited is not a subordinate employee
   MAY NOT knowingly solicit or discourage the political activity of any
person
   who has business before the agency
   MAY NOT engage in political activity while on duty
   MAY NOT engage in political activity in any government facility
   MAY NOT engage in political activity while wearing an official uniform
   MAY NOT engage in political activity while using a government vehicle
   MAY NOT run for office as a candidate in a partisan election
   MAY NOT wear political buttons on duty

Supervisors must ensure that all employees have access to information on
the Hatch Act so that everyone knows their rights and restrictions under
it.

Our web page has a full discussion of these issues
(www.doi.gov//ethics/ethics.html).Also, the  DOI Ethics Office is
conducting
Hatch Act training this year as follows:

October 5: DOI University, Room 7116 MIB, 10 a.m. for Managers and
Supervisors

October 7: DOI University, Room 7116 MIB, 10 a.m. for all employees.

A video designed for Ethics Counselors on the Hatch Act and presented by
the Office of Special Counsel is available by calling Cocoa White in the
Ethics Office at (202) 208-7960.  The Ethics Office also has a brochure and
pocket cards that summarize the Hatch Act rules.  Finally, the Ethics
Office will schedule training for individual offices on request.

I encourage all employees to take advantage of these offerings and to
contact the Ethics Office or the Solicitor's office with any questions.