Question: Meet the canidate

Is it OK for a PTO to host a meet the candidate night for all that are running for Board of Education?


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Advice from PTO Today

Patty C @ PTO Today writes:
So long as your members do not use their positions to publicly endorse any one particular candidate over another, and all those running get equal air time, there’s no problem running a candidates night at the school. And keep in mind that you, as an individual citizen and PTO leader, are free to post any sort of lawn/car/boat/bike campaign sign you wish on political matters, so long as it does not jeopardize the group you represent. However, the IRS does prohibit 501(c)(3) organizations from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. So taking a collective stand to endorse any one of the candidates, (i.e. The XYZ School PTO Supports Johnson for School Board!) would likely get you in trouble.


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