Episode
Election Season Prep
- Published
- Nov 12, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1626
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://rulesofthegame.libsyn.com/election-season-prep
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/rules-of-the-game-the-bolder-advocacy-podcast-744868/episodes/election-season-prep/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/rules-of-the-game-the-bolder-advocacy-podcast-744868/election-season-prep.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Whether it be local elections or picking a new president, election season seems to always be lurking around the corner, so on today's episode we're unpacking what it means for 501(c)(3)s to remain nonpartisan and how these nonprofits can safely engage in several different types of advocacy during election season. Attorneys for this episode Monika Graham Melissa Marichal Zayas Sarah Efthymiou Remaining Nonpartisan: The rule is clear: 501(c)(3) organizations cannot engage in any activity or make statements that suggest support or opposition to political parties, candidates, or groups of candidates running for public office, including those not affiliated with a specific political party . However, the definition of what counts as "nonpartisan" remains somewhat unclear . The IRS uses a "facts and circumstances" test to determine whether a charity's communication and/or activity is truly nonpartisan or a disguised attempt to influence an election. T he IRS considers whether the communication and/or activity : identifies candidates compares a candidate's position on issues important to the organization with the organization's position s on those same issues expresses approval or disapproval of a candidate's position or actions is delivered close to an election, references voting, focuses on issues that distinguish candidates is part of an ongoing series of communications independent of election timing or coincides with non-electoral events like legislative hearings on pending bills DO: Keep your focus on issues, not elections . Continue mission-related issue advocacy but avoid suggesting how people should vote. Educate voter s . P rovide nonpartisan facts, resources, and information about voting without mentioning or implying support for candidates or parties Host candidate…