The election commissioner and chief deputy election commissioner, once appointed, qualified, bonded, and sworn into office, and the county clerk acting as the election officer, shall not hold a political party office or be a member or officer of a candidate committee for any candidate seeking public office. This section shall not prohibit a county clerk acting as the election officer from participating in his or her own reelection campaign or fundraisers. This section shall not be construed to preclude an election commissioner, a chief deputy election commissioner, or a county clerk from being a delegate to a county, state, or national political party convention.