Hatch Act

American  

noun

1. either of two acts of Congress (1939, 1940), regulating expenditures, contributions, and procedures in political campaigns.

---

Usage

What is the Hatch Act? The Hatch Act is a U. S. federal law that limits the ability of government employees on official duty to participate in political activity, such as running for office, promoting a political candidate, or raising money for a political party or campaign. The intent of the act is to keep “official government business” separate from “political activity,” which it defines as “activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.” Specifically, it prohibits conducting political business while on official government duty, in government facilities, or while on or using government property. The goal of such rules is to limit the ability of the executive branch to affect elections by preventing its members from using government resources to directly finance or assist in a political campaign (which would of course give them an unfair advantage). The law applies to federal government employees working under the executive branch, including members of the president’s cabinet, staff, and any other full-time and part-time employees. It also applies to some employees on the state and local level (as well as in Washington, D. C.) whose salaries are federally funded or whose jobs are connected with federal programs. However, the president and vice president themselves are specifically exempt from the rules of the Hatch Act, unless the activity involves the use of federal money to aid political campaigns. The Hatch Act places even more restrictions on employees who work in law enforcement or intelligence agencies, such as the FBI or CIA. These employees are forbidden from engaging in nearly all political activities other than voting and donating to campaigns.

Etymology

Origin of Hatch Act

Named after Carl A. Hatch (1889–1963), U.S. lawyer and politician

Example Sentences

The issue, as explained by Craig Holman, who filed multiple Hatch Act complaints against members of the administration on behalf of Public Citizen, is that the law doesn’t enforce itself.

From Salon • Oct. 10, 2025

And to her credit, there are no topics that they say that they won’t touch that I can remember, with the exception of election stuff because of the Hatch Act.

From Slate • May 15, 2024

She noted that some reporters often express “friendly consternation” about how often she cites the Hatch Act, and she suggested that she was confused by the violation.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 13, 2023

According to Politico, Ms Jean-Pierre is known to often refer reporters to the Hatch Act.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2023

The modern period of American agriculture really dates from 1887, when Congress, by the Hatch Act, established the first national system of agricultural experiment stations in the world.

From The Challenge of the Country A Study of Country Life Opportunity by Fiske, George Walter