WELCOME. Rules of the Game: How to Engage in the 2016 Elections. Moderator: Ramon Gardenhire, JD, Vice President of Policy, AIDS Foundation of Chicago

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1 WELCOME Rules of the Game: How to Engage in the 2016 Elections Moderator: Ramon Gardenhire, JD, Vice President of Policy, AIDS Foundation of Chicago Speakers: Keely Monroe, JD, Counsel, Bolder Advocacy Initiative at Alliance for Justice Maximillian Boykin, Community Organizer, AIDS Foundation of Chicago; Manager, HIV Preventive Justice Alliance Matthew Pagnotti, Civic Engagement Coordinator, AIDS Alabama Tony Christon-Walker, Prevention & Community Partnerships Director, AIDS Alabama

2 ADVOCACY AND ELECTIONS FOR NON-PROFITS KEELY MONROE

3 For free coaching about laws impacting nonprofit advocacy: For free tools, fact sheets, and BolderAdvocacy

4 1. Comparing nonprofit organizations 2. What does non-partisan mean? 3. How do the rules apply to an individual who works for a 501(c)(3)? 4. What election year activities can we engage in, and how can we ensure we stay nonpartisan? AGENDA

5 501(c)(3)s 501(c)(4)s 501(c)(5)s 501(c)(6)s Examples Tax Treatment tax-exempt contributions tax-deductible tax-exempt Lobbying Activities LIMITED UNLIMITED Electoral Activities CANNOT SUPPORT OR OPPOSE A CANDIDATE FOR OFFICE SECONDARY ACTIVITY

6 Nonprofits can and should ADVOCATE for POLICY CHANGE!

7 No 501(c)(3) support for or opposition to CANDIDATES running for PUBLIC OFFICE

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11 Warning Letter Excise Tax Revocation of Tax Exempt Status Possible PENALTIES

12 CHARACTERISTICS Office created by statute On-going position For any public office Fixed term Requires oath of office Includes School Boards

13 Rules that apply to print and verbal communications also apply to ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS

14 INDIVIDUAL PARTISAN ELECTORAL ACTIVITIES Personal Capacity Only Not on Company Time Organization Cannot Ratify Acts Have a Policy

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16 ISSUE ADVOCACY Lobbying/ Advocacy Campaigns Supporting or Criticizing Incumbents Legislative Scorecards LOBBYING & ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS Candidate Education

17 ISSUE ADVOCACY Lobbying/ Advocacy Campaigns Supporting or Criticizing Incumbents Legislative Scorecards Candidate Education LOBBYING OR ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS

18 ISSUE ADVOCACY Lobbying/ Advocacy Campaigns Supporting or Criticizing Incumbents Legislative Scorecards SUPPORTING OR CRITICIZING INCUMBENTS Candidate Education

19 SUPPORTING OR CRITICIZING INCUMBENTS Focus on Legislative Issues Continue Ongoing Support/Criticism Don t Support/Criticize Personal Characteristics CRITICIZING OR SUPPORTING INCUMBENTS

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24 RESPONDING TO CANDIDATES Continue to Focus on Your Public Policy Issues, Not the Candidate Don t Comment to Influence the Elections Avoiding Mentioning the Name of the Candidate Don t Criticize Personal Characteristics RESPONDING TO CANDIDATES

25 RESPONDING TO CANDIDATES Continue to Focus on Your Policy Issues, Not the Candidate Don t Comment to Influence the Elections Avoiding Mentioning the Name of the Candidate Don t Criticize Personal Characteristics RESPONDING TO CANDIDATES

26 ISSUE ADVOCACY LEGISLATIVE SCORECARDS Lobbying/ Advocacy Campaigns Supporting or Criticizing Incumbents Legislative Scorecards Candidate Education

27 Sent to PUBLIC Published REGULARLY Includes ALL LEGISLATORS BROAD Range of Issues AVOIDS Commentary Sent to MEMBERS Published REGULARLY Includes ALL LEGISLATORS NARROW Range of Issues Commentary ALLOWED

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29 ISSUE ADVOCACY Lobbying/ Advocacy Campaigns Supporting or Criticizing Incumbents Legislative Scorecards CANDIDATE EDUCATION Candidate Education

30 CANDIDATE EDUCATION Offer to all Use only what is already gathered Only create new information if organization has reason to do so

31 CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES DEBATES & FORUMS APPEARANCE UNRELATED TO CANDIDACY CANDIDATE APPEARANCES

32 VOTER REGISTRATION No Reference to Party/Candidate No Suggestion of Who to Vote For Make Service Available to EVERYONE Targeting for NONPARTISAN Reason

33 VOTER REGISTRATION No Reference to Party/Candidate No Suggestion of Who to Vote For Make Service Available to EVERYONE Targeting for NONPARTISAN Reason

34 VOTER REGISTRATION No Reference to Party/Candidate No Suggestion of Who to Vote For Make Service Available to EVERYONE Targeting for NONPARTISAN Reason

35 VOTER REGISTRATION No Reference to Party/Candidate No Suggestion of Who to Vote For Make Service Available to EVERYONE Targeting for NONPARTISAN Reason

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38 NO INCENTIVES FOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND/OR GOTV

39 NO INCENTIVES FOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND/OR GOTV

40 FOR MORE INFORMATION:

41 WEST COAST Oakland, CA EAST COAST Washington, DC Los Angeles, CA TEXAS Dallas, TX

42 Voting effects Who and How we have SEX Voting for Our Sexual Liberation Maxx Boykin, Community Organizer, AFC Manager of HIV-PJA 200 WEST JACKSON BLVD. SUITE 2100 CHICAGO IL TEL FAX AIDSCHICAGO.ORG

43 The Demographic

44 Voting for Our Sexual Liberation Voter Engagement and Registration Work with Chicago Votes VAN Voter Access Network Street Teaming Network Blast

45 VocAL About Voting: Mobilizing Voters as an ASO in the Deep South Matt Pagnotti Civic Engagement Coordinator AIDS Alabama July 14, 2016

46 About AIDS Alabama Mission: devote energy and resources statewide to helping people with HIV/AIDS live healthy, independent lives and work to prevent the spread of HIV Provide housing, transportation, testing, prevention education, mental health/substance use services, peer support, and advocacy programs Largest ASO in AL; work in network with 8 other ASOs

47 How AL Suppresses the Vote 2013 SCotUS strikes down section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby v. Holder Photo ID law and new racially gerrymandered redistricting go into effect 2015 Alabama Law Enforcement Agency closes over 30 DMV offices, most in rural counties with high numbers of Black residents. After national backlash, agreed to reopen many, but on an extremely limited part time schedule Free voter IDs, but difficult to obtain (only 1,500 given out last year vs. >250,000 registered voters w/out valid photo ID)

48 HIV/AIDS in AL Alabama ranked 12th highest for new HIV infection rates in 2014 ¾ of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) earning less than FPL (average annual income of $10,000) >65% PLHIV live outside urban areas 75% new cases occur among people of color Disproportionate # of cases among LGBTQ folk

49 Policy Implications Some policies impacting PLHIV in AL: Refusal to expand Medicaid; Medicaid/ADAP underfunding Attempts to further criminalize HIV in 2015 Anti-Immigrant legislation/rhetoric Local attempts to raise minimum wage blocked by state Lack of LGBTQ protections

50 VocAL Communities Series of civic engagement programs and services Includes voter mobilization: Voter Registration via direct services, outreach events, online tools Voter Education fact sheets & handouts, social media presence, workshops Get Out the Vote (GOTV) pledge cards, GOTV calls/texts/ s, rides to the polls, poll monitoring

51 Strength: Linkage to Care Model Linkage to Care: process of entering PLHIV into treatment postdiagnosis and continuing to engage them in care Can serve as a model for voter engagement: Staff member initiates interaction with community stakeholders Assess level of engagement and determine needs Link stakeholder to relevant resources Maintain communication and engagement post-interaction

52 Strength: Linkage to Care Model What does that look like? Including training on voter engagement for frontline staff, social workers, peer mentors, prevention educators, etc. Providing assistance registering, obtaining IDs, getting to the polls, restoring voting rights, etc. as part of wrap-around services Referring consumers to partner organizations to fill gaps in needed services (ex. ACLU or NAACP for legal help)

53 Strength: Community Outreach Familiarity with array of community outreach events/techniques Overlap between communities impacted by HIV epidemic and those targeted by voter suppression Existing relationships with community stakeholders and established trust

54 Strength: Community Outreach What does that look like? Utilizing prevention outreach events/spaces as opportunities to engage stakeholders around voting Including importance of voting and services you provide in usual communication channels (social media ads, online voter registration, etc.) Conducting registration drives and voting rights workshops in communities you serve

55 Strength: Advocacy as a Core Value History of advocacy and organizing Commitment to MIPA (meaningful involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS) Both voting and HIV highlight intersectionality/interlocking systems of oppression

56 Strength: Advocacy as a Core Value What does that look like? Discussing voting as means of self-advocacy and empowerment Adding voter mobilization to calls to action Leveraging existing community partnerships to mobilize folks and pool resources (ex. Rides to the polls and election protection hotlines)

57 Thank You! Matt Pagnotti, Civic Engagement Coordinator, AIDS Alabama Phone: Website:

58 AIDS Alabama Tony Walker former Civic Engagement Coordinator Director of Prevention and Community Partnerships Felony Voter Rights Restoration

59 1 in 13 African-American Males in Alabama has a felony of some kind.

60 Goal Help former felons get back their right to vote. Determine whether or not voting rights have been terminated. Determine how voting rights can be restored. Provide instruction and assistance to help former felons restore their voting rights.

61 Voting: Why is it important? It gives you a say in how you are governed. It lets elected officials know that you are engaged in the process. Elected officials know who votes, and who does not vote. They typically pander to the people who vote. Your vote matters in every election!

62 Have you lost the right to vote? AlabamaVotes.gov can give you your voting status. Go to Look at the bottom left and click on the Registration Info box. Enter information and view results.

63 Fulfillment of Sentence You have fulfilled the terms of your sentence when you have done ALL of the following: Paid all fines, court costs, fees, and victim restitution ordered by the sentencing court. When you have been released upon completion your sentence, been pardoned, or have successfully completed probation or parole.

64 Prohibitive Felonies Prohibitive Felonies are much more serious in nature and require that you apply for a pardon.

65 Prohibitive Felonies Here is a list of prohibitive felonies: Murder Treason Impeachment Rape Sexual Torture Sexual Abuse Incest Permitting Children to Engage in Obscene Matter Production of Obscene Matter Involving a Minor Enticing a Child to Enter a Vehicle for Immoral Purposes Soliciting a Child by Computer Production of Obscene Matter Possession of Obscene Matter Possession with the Intent to Distribute Child Pornography

66 The Form

67 New Changes Effective September 1, 2016 Fulfillment of charges only relating to disenfranchising offense. Decision has to be made in 14 days after receiving CERV.

68 Resources The Alabama Secretary of State s Office < ProCon.org < >