Candidate Debates and Forums

On this episode, our third in our 2022 Election series, we thought we’d look at how nonprofits can further democracy through candidate debates. Since the pandemic, we’ve seen organizations get seriously creative in using technology to engage and keep us safe and socially distanced. If you’re a long-time listener, you might recall that we also hosted an episode on Candidate Debates in 2020, back when we launched during the shutdown.   Link:  Attorneys for this episode  Leslie Barnes, Tim Mooney, Quyen Tu  Shownotes  Public charities can convene candidate debates and forums  The safe harbor for (c)(3)s hosting candidate debates  Narrowing invitees based on nonpartisan criteria  Publicize widely and invite public  Neutral moderator  Questions: broad and wide-ranging topics  Equal treatment of each candidate  No pledges  Best practices   Hosting a debate watch party and commenting on debates  Fact checking is ok, supporting/opposing candidates is not  Forums  Facts & Circumstances analysis  Federal university rule  Candidate meet and greets  Resources  Hosting Candidate Debates: Public Charities Can Educate the Community Through Candidate Debates   Commenting on Candidates and Campaigns: How 501(c)(3)s Can Respond During an Election Year   Responding During Election Season and Debates   Sample 501(c)(3) Organizational Policy for Election Season   Rev. Rul. 2007-41