Nonprofit Voter Engagement

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

read in full

Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

read in full

Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

read in full

Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

read in full

more news

Interesting Case on Whether A Church Violated Campaign Finance Law

Aug 7, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church v. Unswort, a challenge to Montana's election campaign reporting laws. The Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church held an event in May 2004, and during which the Rev. B.G. Stumberg urged parishioners to sign petitions at the church in support of a constitutional ban on gay marriages. Advocates filed a complaint arguing that the church inappropriately held an event to support a political cause subject to the state's political contribution reporting requirements.

read in full

Voter Registration Barriers Challenged in New Mexico, at Veterans Affairs

Throughout the country, new rules on nonpartisan voter registration efforts are making nonprofit voter mobilization drives more difficult — and groups are fighting these rules. After the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) May 5 directive banning voter registration drives at veterans' facilities, a multi-front advocacy effort developed to get the VA to change its policy. Voting rights advocates also have been fighting state restrictions, including a New Mexico voter registration law.

read in full

IRS Directive Broadens Scope of Prohibited Web Links on Issues

On July 28, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sent a memo to revenue agents that contradicts earlier guidance relating to 501(c)(3) organizations' use of web links for issue advocacy. The memo indicated that web links may be considered prohibited intervention in elections, depending on their context, the number of clicks between a site and a partisan message on the linked site, and whether an organization has a position on an issue and links to candidates' positions.

read in full

Group Files Lawsuit Against the FEC Asserting Issue Advocacy

Jul 31, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

A new 527 group called The Real Truth About Obama, Inc. ("RTAO"), has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Department of Justice to prevent them from enforcing FEC reporting rules for political committees. RTAO plans to run issue ads examining the Democratic presidential candidate's position on abortion and other policy positions issues.

read in full

Indirect Campaign Intervention or Issue Advocacy?

Jul 28, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

An article from MSNBC's online magazine, Contribute, discusses the ways that 501(c)(3) organizations, according to the report, actually engage in illicit campaign intervention.

read in full

Groups Challenge Law Restricting Nonprofit Voter Registration Efforts

Jul 25, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Brennan Center for Justice, along with pro bono law firms filed a lawsuit in Albuquerque challenging a New Mexico law that makes it difficult for groups to conduct voter registration drives. According to the press release, the state law is "an unconstitutional burden on free speech and association by impeding civic groups from helping eligible voters to register."

read in full

Bill Introduced to Require the VA to Help Veterans Register to Vote

Jul 24, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

After many years, the issue of allowing voter registration at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities is slowly gaining support. The VA announced that it would assist veterans with voter registration and permit voter registration drives by groups that were vetted by the agency's attorneys, and then reversed this policy within two weeks. Fortunately since then, Members of Congress and some voting rights advocates have been objecting to the VA's policy.

read in full

Hostility towards Voter Registration?

Jul 15, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Tampa Tribune has reported on Florida's noncompliance with the National Voter Registration Act's (NVRA) requirement that voter registration be provided at public assistance offices. "Florida is failing to help low-income residents register to vote when they sign up for public assistance, say voting rights advocates who may sue over the issue. [. .

read in full

Yes, the NAACP Still Can't Endorse Candidates

Jul 10, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Baltimore Sun has highlighted the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the fact that it is not allowed to engage in partisan politics, not surprising, as all 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from doing so. "Individually, many NAACP members have lauded Obama's nomination as a victory for racial progress.

read in full

Gary Bass Featured in Philanthropy News Digest on the Support of Nonprofit Advocacy

Jul 8, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

Philanthropy News Digest had a "5 Questions For" column with OMB Watch Executive Director Gary Bass. The questions addressed nonprofit advocacy, particularly how philanthropic support of advocacy is changing. During which, Bass commends a new report on the topic from Atlantic Philanthropies. He states that a question that continues to stir confusion is whether you can still lobby if you receive public-sector funds and questions on nonpartisan voter engagement.

read in full