With elections looming, you may be contacted to host an event with a political candidate at your school or church. It is important to remember that, because of your school’s 501(c)(3) status, endorsing or rejecting a specific candidate is prohibited by federal law.
However, you can invite candidates to discuss issues related to your school or church at forums about those issues. But the event must be conducted in a non-partisan manner and you can not show favoritism to one or another candidate. You should invite all the candidates who are seeking the position, regardless of party. They may not attend, but your invitation proves your nonpartisan focus.
Your school or church should not solicit money or votes for one candidate over another. You can not use code words or phrases to show your support of one candidate over another.
Bottom line: While supporting a candidate’s campaign is prohibited, your school or church can host visits from already elected public officials from local, state or federal offices. Public officials can help our schools and churches, so it’s important to have them visit. But be very careful when they are also candidates for an election.
WCRIS member Ozaukee Christian School recently celebrated the completion of a building project and invited their state legislators, Sen. Duey Stroebl and Rep. Rick Gundrum, to a ribbon-cutting event (see picture above). The lawmakers helped them navigate numerous state and local laws throughout the building process.
If you don’t have a new building project or event to highlight on a visit, ask your elected officials to read a book to the class or teach a civics lesson.
Before your church or school even entertains the idea of a visit by candidates, review this information from the IRS here.
