The Mormon Church took an active role in encouraging California voters to support Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that sought to ban same-sex marriages in California. Proposition 8 passed 52 percent to 48 percent. The Mormon Church encouraged members to vote yes on Proposition 8 and helped to fund initiatives in support of Proposition 8.

This year's presidential election has come and gone with minimal controversy, but many argue that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. The Alliance for Justice worked on the Election Protection hotline run by Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and has some examples of the problems on Election day. And in response, suggest some ways to alleviate such issues in the future such as nationwide early voting, same day voter registration, increased penalties for voter suppression efforts, and provide more money to state and local authorities to conduct voter registration efforts.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed an IRS complaint on Sept. 30 against the Clarion Fund, a nonprofit organization that distributed an anti-Muslim film to 28 million households in swing states during the presidential election season. The DVD, "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," was distributed in papers in at least 10 states.

At an American Bar Association teleconference, Judy Kindell, senior technical adviser to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) director of exempt organizations, commented on some important issues for charities. BNA Money and Politics ($$) reported on Kindell's comments. 501(c)(3) organizations are "prohibited from engaging in campaign activity, defined as any activity that favors or opposes candidates for public office.