BEING NONPARTISAN: Guidelines for 501c3 Organizations

1. BEING NONPARTISAN:Guidelines for 501c3 Organizations Presentedby

2. A national hub of voter engagement resources and trainings to help nonprofits integrate nonpartisan voter participation into ongoing activities and services. The voter participation partner of the National Association of Secretaries of State for the nonprofit sector Visit our website for more on our mission and partners: www.nonprofitvote.org

3. Today’s presenters Julian Johannesen Director of Research and Training Nonprofit VOTE George Pillsbury Director Nonprofit VOTE Who

4. WHY NONPROFITS Trust and respect in our communities Accessto underrepresented populations Interest in the positive role of government Why Nonprofits

5. WHY VOTING • Advance our mission and our issues • Build clout for the work we do and people we serve • Get our ideas in front of candidates Why Voting

6. agenda • Being Nonpartisan: The Basic Guidelines • Voter Registration • Voter Education • Candidates and Ballot Measures • Get Out The Vote • Issue Advocacy • Staff Activities on personal time • More Resources Agenda

7. BEING NONPARTISAN: Basic Guidelines for 501(c)(3)s

8. WHAT’S PARTISAN - THE ONE RULE A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may not support or oppose a candidatefor public office. • May not – • Endorse candidates • Donate money or resources to candidates • Rate candidates on single issues Being Nonpartisan

9. RANKING - SCORECARDS Being Nonpartisan

10. RANKING – CANDIDATE COMPARISONS • Ok to compare candidates on the issues in candidate questionnaires, voter guides • Keep your opinion out of it – don’t indicate the right position Being Nonpartisan

11. WHAT NONPROFITS CAN DO Nonprofits may conduct nonpartisan voter engagement activities to educate the public and help them participate in elections, including - Voter Registration Voter Education Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Candidate Forums Being Nonpartisan

12. VOTER REGISTRATION

13. VOTER REGISTRATION Common Nonpartisan Activities • Promote voter registration • Announce deadlines • Provide information on where and when to register to vote • Conduct voter registration • Table in your lobby • Register voters at events • Do a voter registration drive Voter Registration

14. VOTER REGISTRATION: Guidelines • No endorsements:May not suggest which party to join or candidate to vote for • Federal restrictions: Head Start and AmeriCorps • Know your state’s rules:Use our 50 state guide. Coordinate with your local election office Voter Registration

15. VOTER EDUCATION

16. How, where and when to vote Early Voting Voter ID Needed Civic Education VOTER EDUCATION:The Process of Voting Voter Education

17. VOTER EDUCATION: Candidates and Issues Sample Ballots and Voter Guides Candidate Questionnaires Voter Education

18. VOTER EDUCATION Voter Education Candidate Questionnaire • Ask questions on a range of topics • Not just yes or no. Let candidates explain view, but give a word limit • Send it to all candidates in the race • If a candidate doesn’t respond - may list “no response” or use official statements from the candidate’s website

19. CANDIDATES and BALLOT MEASURES

20. CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT 3 Ways to Connect to Candidates on a nonpartisan basis Engaging Candidates Invitecandidates to an event Sponsor a candidate forum Send candidates your policy ideas

21. CANDIDATES APPEARANCES Elected officials may be invited to speak in a non-candidate capacity Engaging Candidates Invite all the candidates running for the same office Treat candidates as guests – no campaign materials allowed Remind audience it’s a nonpartisan event and thank candidates for attending

22. CANDIDATE FORUMS Engaging Candidates Cover a range of issues or topics within your own issue area Provide equal time for the candidates Ask all candidates to attend Have at least 2 candidates to be a “forum”

23. CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES

24. BALLOT MEASURES Ballot Measures Ballot measures are about laws or constitutional amendments • Activity on ballot measures is lobbying. It’s influencing the passage or defeat of a law– not the election or defeat of a candidate • 501c3 nonprofits may work for or against a ballot measure as a lobbying activity

25. GET OUT THE VOTE AND ELECTION DAY

26. GET OUT THE VOTE Get Out The Vote 501(c)(3)s may - • Promote Make the election visible • Provide voter assistance • Remind staff and constituents to vote • Conduct get-out-the-vote drives • Help people obtain mail ballots

27. ELECTION DAY Election Day Give staff time off:To vote or do nonpartisan election activities Rides to the polls: No campaign materials on the vehicles Celebrate Democracy: Make Election Day special. Have a party.

28. ISSUE ADVOCACY AND MORE

29. ISSUE ADVOCACY Issue Advocacy “501(c)(3) organizations may take positions on public policy issues, including issues that divide candidates in an election for public office.” (Internal Revenue Service 2006)

30. ISSUE ADVOCACY Issue Advocacy Factors to consider - • Increasing advocacy activities during the election season could be partisan • History of work on an issue in the past is a key nonpartisan factor • Responding to an external event is ok and nonpartisan

31. WHAT STAFF CAN DO Nonprofit staff may engage in partisan activities, such as supporting a candidate, outside of normal work hours Staff Activities

32. RESOURCES ON BEING NONPARTISAN Images of resources

33. MORE RESOURCES Resources www.nonprofitvote.org

34. info@nonprofitvote.org 617.357.VOTE (8683) www.nonprofitvote.org Nonprofit VOTE 89 South Street Suite 203 Boston, MA 02111 George Pillsbury gpillsbury@nonprofitvote.org Julian Johannesen julian@nonprofitvote.org