(1) No person, whether an officer or not, shall, in order to promote his or her own candidacy, or that of any other person, to be a candidate for public office in this state, directly or indirectly, himself, or herself or through another person, promise to appoint, or promise to secure or assist in securing the appointment, nomination or election of another person to any public position or employment, or to secure or assist in securing any public contract or the employment of any person under any public contractor, or to secure or assist in securing the expenditure of any public funds in the personal behalf of any particular person or group of persons, except that the candidate may publicly announce what is his or her choice or purpose in relation to an election in which he or she may be called on to take part if elected.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to directly or indirectly solicit or receive any promise by this section prohibited, but this does not apply to any person when it comes to their office force.
(3) Any violation of this section shall constitute a violation of Section 97-13-37 and shall be referred to the district attorney for prosecution.