Involvement in Political Elections

• Conducting Candidates' Forums

PTAs may conduct candidate forums alone or as part of a coalition with other nonpartisan groups. All candidates for the public office involved must be invited and asked to present their views at the meeting. A nonpartisan moderator should be in charge, and fair procedures must be established and agreed to in advance.

• Seeking Office

Neither the law nor National PTA Bylaws prohibit members as individuals from exercising their civic responsibilities in personal and partisan ways, even in running for office themselves. However, PTA officers and those members who are likely to be recognized by their constituency as being active PTA representatives or leaders, and who choose to enter the political or legislative arenas in their private (i.e., non-PTA) capacities, are strongly urged to avoid even the appearance that those activities have, in any way, the endorsement, approval, or support of PTA.

PTA leaders who are considering seeking public office while they are serving as PTA representatives are urged to weigh the impact their candidacy, appointment, or election could have on the nonpartisan image and tax status PTA enjoys. Members who choose to seek public office may not request or receive PTA endorsement at any time, but may list their PTA service as part of their qualifications.

Neither federal regulations nor National PTA policy prohibits state, district/region, council, or local PTA officers and other leaders from serving on commissions or other boards active in areas of concern to PTA if such membership is not designed to support partisan interests.

• Inappropriate Legislative Activities

No legislative activity engaged in by any state, district/region, council, or local PTA shall include any statement or suggestion, written or spoken, that attributes or implies National PTA support for the activity unless an authorized position of National PTA clearly supports the activity.

• Supporting/Opposing Parties/Candidates

National PTA and its constituent organizations may never support or oppose political parties or candidates, including those running for school boards, even on nonpartisan slates, since the Internal Revenue Code makes no distinction between partisan and nonpartisan elections for public office.

• Contributing to PACs

In addition, the PTA, at any level, may not contribute to a political action committee (PAC), which is defined as an entity whose whole purpose is to influence the election of any individual to public office, whether as a separate organization (such as a PAC that is specifically designed to raise money for a particular mayor, member of Congress, governor, or school board candidate) or as a segregated fund of an existing organization (such as a corporate PAC or an environmental PAC)

Exception: PAC support of ballot issues:  There are circumstances under which a PAC may be supported—when it takes a position on a ballot issue (such as for a zoning or constitutional matter, school levy, or statewide referendum). These exceptions occur at the state and local levels, and the various states require organizations supporting or opposing these measures to file with the state office that monitors lobbying activities. To the extent that a state PAC law clearly, precisely, and definitively distinguishes between activities to support issues and those to support candidates, PTAs may engage in issue oriented activity (within IRC limits) with the understanding that the appropriate record keeping and reporting requirements are maintained. If there are any questions about a state PAC, an appropriate professional with expertise in regulatory law should be consulted.

For additional information on Lobbying, please see the following related articles in Our Children magazine;

"Lobbying and Election-Related Activities—Opportunities and limitations" Part 1, (October 2001).

"Lobbying and PTA: Opportunities and limitations" Part 2, (December 2001).

Last Updated 03/15/2005 23:29:54