Columbus City Employees Advised to Avoid Crossing Lines in Election Support

Rules prohibit active campaigning by municipal workers, but allow private political expression.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 10:50pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A photorealistic painting of a city hall building in warm, golden light, with a lone figure standing on the steps, conveying a sense of civic duty and political neutrality.The quiet, somber mood of a municipal building reflects the delicate balance city employees must strike between civic duty and political neutrality.Columbus Today

With local elections in Columbus, Georgia just 43 days away, city officials are reminding the over 2,500 municipal employees that they face stricter rules on political activity compared to regular citizens. According to City Attorney Clifton Fay, city employees are barred from actively managing political campaigns or taking overt steps to persuade voters, though they can privately vote, comment, or display limited political signage.

Why it matters

The upcoming Columbus elections are complicated by the fact that several current city officials, including the former City Manager and a sitting City Councilor, are running for mayor. This creates a delicate situation where municipal employees must navigate rules around political expression to avoid conflicts of interest or undue influence.

The details

Columbus city employees are prohibited from activities like canvassing, carrying campaign signs, or otherwise actively working to influence voters on behalf of political candidates. However, they are still allowed to privately vote, display limited political signage on their personal property, and make private comments. City HR Director Ola Terrell sent an email to all employees outlining these guidelines, and Mayor Skip Henderson urged workers to familiarize themselves with the rules to avoid unintentional violations.

  • Election day is 43 days away on November 5, 2026.
  • Advance voting starts 3 weeks from today on October 15, 2026.

The players

Clifton Fay

The City Attorney of Columbus, Georgia who explained the rules governing political activity by municipal employees.

Ola Terrell

The Human Resources Director for the City of Columbus who sent an email to all city employees outlining the rules around political campaigning.

Skip Henderson

The Mayor of Columbus who urged city employees to familiarize themselves with the rules to avoid unintentional violations.

Isaiah Hugley

A former City Manager of Columbus who is now running for mayor.

Joanne Cogle

A sitting District 7 City Councilor in Columbus who is also running for mayor.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The ordinance, part of the Columbus code, says that all employees in the merit system should not take an active part in the management of any political campaign except to exercise their right to vote privately or comment privately.”

— Clifton Fay, City Attorney

“Prepare yourself. Do your research. Know who you can contact, you look at the charter, you can look to the code section, or you can call a city attorney. I'm sure he appreciates me putting his name out there, but, but, I mean, they're the ones that kind of tell us what the laws help us interpret, and so that we don't unintentionally run afoul of them.”

— Skip Henderson, Mayor

What’s next

The city's charter and code of ordinances will be the primary sources for enforcing the rules around political activity by municipal employees. Department heads and the HR Director will investigate any potential violations that are brought to their attention.

The takeaway

This case highlights the delicate balance that public sector employees must strike between their civic rights as citizens and their professional responsibilities as government workers. The rules in Columbus aim to prevent conflicts of interest and undue influence, but also allow for private political expression.