BEING NONPARTISAN:
Guidelines for 501c3
Organizations
Presented by
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
TODAY’S PRESENTERS
George Pillsbury
Director
Nonprofit VOTE
Julian Johannesen
Director of Research and Training
Nonprofit VOTE
Who
BEING NONPARTISAN:
Guidelines for 501c3
Organizations
Presented by
VOTE NOVEMBER
TH
6 !
Agenda
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
WHY NONPROFITS
• Trust and respect in our
communities
• Access to underrepresented
populations
• Interest in the positive role of
government
Why
Nonprofits
AGENDA

Being Nonpartisan: The Basic Guidelines
o Voter Registration
o Voter Education
o Candidates and Ballot Measures
o Get Out The Vote

Issue Advocacy

Staff Activities on personal time

Resources and tools
Agenda
BEING NONPARTISAN:
Basic Guidelines for 501(c)3)s
WHAT’S PARTISAN - THE ONE RULE
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may not
support or oppose a candidate for public office.
May not –
• Endorse candidates
• Donate money or resources to
candidates
• Rate candidates on single issues
Being
Nonpartisan
WHAT’S A SINGLE ISSUE
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
KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE
• Facts and Circumstances
• Rule of Thumb
– Activities to help people to register and
vote are more nonpartisan
– We have to be more careful when
interacting with candidates
Being
Nonpartisan
VOTER
REGISTRATION
VOTER REGISTRATION
• Promote voter registration
– Announce deadlines
– Provide information on where and
when to register to vote
• Conduct voter registration
– Set up a table in your lobby
– Register voters at citizenship
ceremonies, high school graduations
– Do voter registration drives
Voter
Registration
VOTER REGISTRATION GUIDELINES
• No endorsements: May not suggest which party to
join or candidate to vote for
• Federal restrictions: HeadStarts, CAAs and AmeriCorps
• Know your state’s rules: Use our 50 state guide.
Coordinate with your local election office
Voter
Registration
VOTER
EDUCATION
VOTER EDUCATION: The Process of Voting
• How, where and when to vote
– Early Voting
– Voter ID Needed
– Civic Education
Voter
Education
VOTER EDUCATION: Candidates and Issues
• Sample Ballots and Voter Guides
• Candidate Questionnaires
o
o
o
o
Send to all candidates
Include a broad range of questions
Keep questions open-ended
Publish full answers
Voter
Education
CANDIDATES
and
BALLOT MEASURES
CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT
4 Ways to Connect to Candidates
on a nonpartisan basis
• Invite candidates to an event
• Ask questions at town hall
• Sponsor a candidate forum
• Send candidates your policy ideas
Engaging
Candidates
CANDIDATE FORUMS
• 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”
Engaging
Candidates
CANDIDATES APPEARANCES
• 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
Elected officials may be invited to speak
in a non-candidate capacity
Engaging
Candidates
CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES
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
Ballot
Measures
GET OUT THE VOTE
AND ELECTION DAY
GET OUT THE VOTE
Make October Get Out the Vote Month
501(c)(3)s may • Make the election highly visible
• Provide voter assistance
• Remind staff and constituents to vote
• Conduct get-out-the-vote drives
• Help people obtain mail ballots
Get Out
The Vote
ELECTION DAY
• Give staff time off: To vote or do
nonpartisan election activities
• Become a poll worker: Consider being a
poll worker or a translator
• Have you voted?: Ask everyone if they
voted or need help voting
• Celebrate Democracy: Make Election
Day special. Have a party.
Election
Day
ISSUE ADVOCACY
AND MORE
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)
Issue
Advocacy
ISSUE ADVOCACY
Factors to consider • Increasing ongoing advocacy
activities during the election season
• History of work on an issue in the
past is a key factor
• Responding to an external event is
often safer
Issue
Advocacy
WHAT STAFF CAN DO
• Nonprofit staff may engage in
partisan activities, such as
supporting a candidate, outside of
normal work hours
• Must remain nonpartisan on the
job or when representing the
organization
Staff
Activities
RESOURCES ON BEING NONPARTISAN
Images of resources
MORE
RESOURCES
www.nonprofitvote.org
Resources
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