Nonpartisan Advocacy: How 501(c)(3)s Can Educate and Advocate During Election Season 

Though public charities must remain nonpartisan, they have a critical role to play throughout the election cycle! Not only can public charities engage in issue advocacy during election season, but they can also conduct robust voter and candidate education campaigns and mobilize the public to get out the vote. After this session, you will have a better understanding of how to safely engage in nonpartisan advocacy during an election. 

Participants will learn:

• How you can continue to advocate for your issues during election years;  
• How you can educate the public through candidate forums and questionnaires;  
• How you can respond to candidate statements objectively;  
• How you can conduct nonpartisan voter registration and ensure get-out-the-vote efforts are conducted legally; 
• How you can safely support or oppose ballot measures without being partisan; and 
• How staff and volunteers’ partisan activities in their personal time can be kept separate from their activities on behalf of the organization.