Question:
I am
well-known in my community as a leader in the PTA, and I’ve been asked to
endorse a candidate who is running for the school board. I would like to support this candidate, but I
know that PTA is not supposed to get involved in partisan campaigns, but I’m
not sure if that extends to nonpartisan offices such as school board. What are the rules?
Answer:
You are
correct that PTAs do not endorse candidates for public office, and that
prohibition applies regardless of whether the race is partisan or
nonpartisan. This prohibition is in the
Uniform Bylaws (Article 2, Section 1(a)) and also a requirement to maintain tax
exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. While individuals who are PTA leaders are not
prohibited from exercising their personal rights to be involved in the election
process, they should take pains to make sure that such participation does not
imply support from the PTA rather than from just the individual. This would be particularly true in the
situation you describe, i.e. the fact that you are well known to be a PTA
leader may make it difficult for the average voter to distinguish you as an
individual from you as a spokesperson for the PTA. One step you can take is to not include your
PTA affiliation in any printed material that includes your endorsement, or if
reference to your PTA affiliation is necessary for identification purposes
(“Which Mary Smith is it who has endorsed Candidate Jones?”). If so the reference should include a
statement that the PTA affiliation is for identification purposes, and does not
imply endorsement by the PTA itself. One
final consideration, assuming you are in a leadership position with the PTA, is
the impact of an endorsement of a candidate on your ability to be effective as
a PTA leader if your candidate doesn’t win the election. Unlike the endorsement question, this one
doesn’t have a hard-and-fast rule, but you should definitely consider this
aspect and perhaps talk to the others on your PTA’s board to get their
perspective before making a final decision.
