Nonpartisan Advocacy: How501(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.
This session complements The Rules of the Game: A Guide to Election-Related Activities for 501(c)(3) Organizations.
Speakers: Nona Randois, General Counsel, Alliance for Justice
Moderator: Rose Chan Loui, Executive Director, Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits
UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. This session is approved for 1.25 hours of MCLE credit.