By Jason E. Camis, IOM, Executive Director
Around this time every year, clubs are often presented with an opportunity to have a political candidate (or a sitting elected official) to be a speaker at a club meeting. It makes sense. Our clubs are microcosms of the community and our reach, whether it’s from our size or historical impact, can be significant. We might also be asked to support a community initiative, from school bond issues to citizen-led petitions. No matter what the issue or who the candidate, there are a variety of factors to consider. While there is no perfect solution for every club or situation, this list offers some guidance and a few things you cannot do, regardless of how much you want to.
YOU CAN – invite candidates to come and speak. Likewise, you can host a speaker who is for/against a particular ballot initiative. Should you? That’s a different question. Because our clubs consist of different ideological views, we’re best served when we don’t alienate any of them. One solution – invite all candidates to one meeting and give them each an opportunity to introduce themselves and why they are running. Keep it short and sweet. This allows members to show their support for their favorite candidate, while keeping the club neutral. Speaking of neutral…
YOU CANNOT – endorse candidates and/or suggest members vote for specific candidates, period. Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. This is a quick way to run afoul of IRS rules, risk losing your 501(c)(3) status, and alienating members (and the community). You might be wondering, “What about the new high school we really need that’s on the ballot?”
YOU CAN – lobby and engage in advocacy on issues of important to your club, its members, and the community. Lobbying is: (1) communicating with decision makers (2) about existing legislation and (3) urging a vote for or against. Advocacy is public support for or the recommendation of a particular cause or policy. As a club you are legally allowed to encourage a vote for or against ballot measures. When doing so, you must be careful not to suggest support for or against any candidates running for office because they are often aligned with/against those ballot measures. So, if your club supports building a new high school, you most certainly can encourage folks to vote YES for it. You can even pay for yard signs if you like. But there are other things you cannot financially do…
YOU CANNOT – financially support any campaign, event, or communication related to any specific candidate whatsoever. There’s no gray in this black and white issue. Just don’t do it. It looks bad. It will alienate some members and the community. Most importantly, it’s illegal.
While there are a few absolutes, many of these issues have a lot of gray. So, what does a club do? The most important thing you can do is have a conversation as a club (not just the board) about how you’re going to handle things each political season. We’ve heard of some clubs that don’t allow candidates at all, including sitting elected officials, during campaign season. Other clubs sponsor candidate forums. Both can be good choices, depending on your club.
Remember that candidates, regardless of party affiliation, are members of our community. They are our colleagues, our neighbors, and our friends. Most are just looking to make our communities a better place. They are not necessarily aware of the laws regarding 501c3 charities. It’s our responsibility to educate them when we can, and more importantly, follow the rule of law so we don’t create issues ourselves.
Check out these resources for more information: