Nonpartisan 501(c)(3) Table Legal Guidelines

Nonpartisan 501(c)(3) state collaboratives or "tables" are designed to foster collaboration among organizations that are working on nonpartisan civic, voter and issue engagement and mobilization by providing central services and opportunities to discuss current programs, key issues, and share effective organizing techniques and experiences.

Any table fiscally sponsored by State Voices, or any other 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, must ensure participants strictly adhere to the following guidelines:

• The meetings and other collaborative discussions of the table may focus on any activities that may be conducted by public charities including advocacy efforts to influence public policy and nonpartisan voter education, registration and GOTV.

• Participants must refrain from discussions about activities that advocate the election or defeat of specific candidates or support or oppose a political party.

• Participants must avoid discussion of partisan activities including campaign activities that they may be involved in on behalf of a candidate or political party.

• Candidates for federal, state or local offices (and campaign staff) may not be invited or attend the meetings of the table. The only exception to this rule is that public officials, who may also be candidates, may attend in their official capacity if invited.

• Each participating group agrees that it will not coordinate its activities with candidates, political parties, party committees, or their agents as that term is defined in Section 109 of the Federal Election Commission's regulations or similar provisions in state law.