Its that time again. Early voting for local elections is open and in full force here in North Texas. Shawnee Trail Cycling Club encourages you to research local issues and candidates and exercise your duty and responsibility to cast your vote.
Be heard, VOTE!
As always, we remind you however that STCC is a 501(c)3 non-profit. The tremendous advantages that come with this tax exempt status also come with restrictions and responsibilities surrounding our actions and activities. One category of that is in the area of political campaigns. Violations of these rules could result in the loss of tax exempt status for 501(c)(3) organizations like ours. Please be respectful and help us maintain our status by following these guidelines.
Maintaining Our Nonprofit Status: Elections and Advocacy
Our organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which means we hold tax-exempt status to pursue our charitable mission. To maintain this status, we must remain nonpartisan and avoid activities that could be seen as favoring or opposing specific candidates for public office.
This means that while we can advocate for issues important to our mission, we cannot endorse candidates or political parties. This applies to all our representatives, including board members, officers, committee members, and volunteers, while they are acting on behalf of the organization.
Here are some examples to keep in mind:
- Public statements (written or verbal) favoring a specific candidate.
- Contributions to political campaigns.
- Social media posts promoting a candidate while using our organization's name or logo.
- Holding events that are in support of a specific candidate (eg. Get out and Vote “for” a candidate)
- Campaigning for specific candidates of any sort at or on our rides
What We Can Do:
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- Issue Advocacy: We can educate the public and policymakers about issues related to our mission.
- Voter Education: We can provide information about upcoming elections and encourage voter participation.
- Candidate Forums: We can host forums where candidates can discuss their positions on issues relevant to our mission, as long as all candidates for an office have been invited to participate.
By understanding these guidelines, we can ensure that our organization continues to operate effectively and fulfill its mission.
Additional Resources:
- Link to IRS guidelines on 501(c)(3) activities
- STCC post addressing Why be a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
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