Church Kit

Dont Redefine Marriage. Vote NO on Question One.

Paid for by Protect Marriage Maine, P.O. BOX 288, AUGUSTA, MAINE 04330

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Dear Marriage Supporter, The debate over the definition of marriage has generated a great deal of conversation and controversy around the country for the last several years, and is the subject of a proposed initiative on the November 2012 ballot to redefine marriage in Maine. As pastors and Christian leaders, we know that much more is at stake here than merely winning or losing at the ballot box. Marriage between one man and one woman is the foundation of a stable society, and its the setting in which God intended children to be raised, to be nurtured and to develop their identity. Many people mistakenly believe that allowing same-sex marriage would not threaten their own traditional marriages. They mistakenly presume that all marriages can simply coexist, including those of the same-sex variety. However, the reality is a new, redefined (genderless) version of marriage would be the only legally recognized definition of marriage for anyone in Maine. And experience elsewhere establishes those who do not agree with this redefinition of marriage whether for moral, religious, personal or any other reason will soon find themselves facing consequences. Under this new regime of genderless marriage, the word of God will be considered outright bigotry-which is what a federal judge in California ruled when he declared that marriage was unconstitutional. A Catholic Archbishop in Canada was hauled before a human rights commission on charges of hate speech for communicating the churchs teachings on homosexuality and marriage. In Sweden, an Evangelical pastor was jailed for preaching about the nature of homosexuality. Churches that provide facilities for weddings will be told to provide them for same-sex weddings as well. That is exactly what happened in New Jersey, where a Methodist group lost part of its tax exemption for refusing to make its facilities available for a same-sex commitment ceremony. Religious schools could soon face demands from government to include instruction that is supportive of homosexuality, as is the case in Canada. If you are concerned about your churchs tax-exempt status, its perfectly legal to support a campaign of this nature and it is entirely appropriate for churches to get involved. In fact, in the recent successful North Carolina marriage campaign, hundreds of churches contributed funds, and they made the difference in securing victory. Were suggesting a gift of a minimum of $1,000 per church, with larger churches being asked to contribute more. Some churches are conducting special offerings for the campaignan approach that proved effective when Oregon faced a similar battle a few years back. Whichever approach you choose, your support will be deeply appreciated as we work to protect traditional marriage for current and future generations of Mainers. Below are a wide range of documents that should be helpful in informing your congregation about what is at stake this November. In particular, please review the tips the Alliance Defending Freedom has provided for how churches can be involved in protecting traditional marriage. Sincerely,

Bob Emrich Chairman Protect Marriage Maine

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Table of Contents
Church Poster ......................................................................................................... 3 Voter Drive Information Kit ....................................................................................... 4 Instructions for Volunteers Working the Registration Table .......................................... 5 Important Supplies for Registration Table .................................................................. 5 Election Date and Deadlines .................................................................................... 5 Sample Bulletin Announcement ................................................................................ 6 Questions and Answers ........................................................................................... 6 Sample Maine Voter Registration Application ............................................................. 8 ADF Letter to Churches .......................................................................................... 10 ADF Guidelines for Political Activities by Churches and Pastors ................................. 12 Explanations of Guidelines ..................................................................................... 16

Dont Redefine Marriage. Vote NO on Question One.

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Dont Redefine Marriage.

Vote NO on Question One.
Question One
Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?
God is the author of marriage, and virtually every civilization since the dawn of time has defined marriage as the union between one man and one woman. Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matthew 19:4-6 (KJV)

Yes

No

n Children need a mom and dad. Reject redefining marriage. Vote No on Question 1. n Same-sex couples already enjoy expansive legal benefits. Dont redefine marriage. Vote No on Question 1.

Visit ProtectMarriageMaine.com to get involved!

Paid for by Protect Marriage Maine, P.O. BOX 288, AUGUSTA, MAINE 04330

Scan me!

How to host a voter registration drive at your church!

Thank you for your interest in making sure that every Christian in Maine is registered to vote! It is essential to have support from not only the churches, but from each member of the congregation. We have provided recommended steps for conducting a successful voter registration and hope that you will work with your local church to conduct a registration drive. If you have any questions, please contact our campaign office at 207-622-7634. Thank you again for your help with this important cause!

Voter Drive Information Kit

Keys to Success: Voter Registration Guidelines

1. Receive permission from the pastor or other church leadership to conduct the drive. 2. Provide a church bulletin announcement for two weeks prior to the drive (see page 6). 3. Make sure there is a pulpit announcement on each day of registration. 4. Select table locations for highest traffic flow. 5. Have at least two workers per table. 6. Have a greeter who directs attention and traffic flow to the table(s). 7. Make sure to have people fill out forms at the tables (see page 8). 8. Collect forms and review for omissions and mistakes. 9. Submit forms to the County Board of Elections

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Instructions for Volunteers Working the Registration Table

1. This is a NON-PARTISAN voter registration effort, registration for ANY party must be accepted. There can be NO campaigning. Have NO candidate or party literature; no campaign buttons no bumper stickers, and nothing that would indicate support for any person or party. 2. The forms are to be filled out on the spot. Forms taken home are almost never completed. 3. Use a clipboard with a blank form on it for each person wishing to register. 4. Ask if you can double-check the forms on the spot to ensure accuracy. 5. Anyone who will be 18 by Election Day (November 6th) can register.

Important Supplies
1. Large, visible signs that say, Register to Vote Today 2. Pens (more than you think you will need) 3. Clipboards are helpful to allow more people to write at one time than the table will accommodate 4. Box for collecting completed forms 5. Also have: Voter registration cards, Absentee Ballot instructions, magic markers, scotch and masking tape, large table and scissors.

Election Dates and Deadlines

Election Day: November 6 Visit http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voter_info/index.html for the latest voter and election information An absentee ballot request must be received by the Municipal Clerk by the close of business on Thursday, November 1, 2012, unless special circumstances exist. Voted absentee ballots must be received by the Municipal Clerk by 8 p.m. on November 6, 2012. To fill out an application for an absentee ballot, go to http://www.maine.gov/online/AbsenteeBallot/nov2012.pdf

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Sample Pulpit/Bulletin Announcement

The following sample can be used and adapted for bulletin inserts, church newsletters, and announcements by the pastor from the pulpit: There will be Voter Registration this Sunday in the lobby before and after the ______ oclock worship service. If you are not registered to vote where you currently live, please take advantage of this opportunity to exercise your privilege and duty as a Christian citizen to participate in the process of electing our government officials and ballot initiatives. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

Questions and Answers

Q: Prospective registrant: Can I take a form to my spouse (or child) at home (or child at college)? A: Volunteer response: Certainly. Please have them send it in to their town office. Show them how to fill the form out. Q: Prospective registrant: Ive moved. Do I need to do to get registered at my new address? A: Volunteer response: Yes, if you have moved you need to fill out the form. Q: Prospective registrant: Im not sure if Im registered. How do I find out? A: Lets go ahead and fill one out. If you are already registered the town clerk will update your information or do nothing. Q: Prospective registrant: Can I fill out one for my spouse? A: Volunteer response: The form will need to be completed by the prospective voter.

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Questions and Answers Continued

Q: Prospective registrant: Do you need to register every time you vote? A: Volunteer response: If you have not moved since you last voted, you do not need to re-register. Once you are registered, you do not have to do it again as long as everything has stayed the same. Q: Prospective registrant: I want to register, but I dont have my valid Maine Drivers License. A: Volunteer response: Thats OK. Just write the last 4 digits of your social security number. Q: Prospective registrant: Ive never been registered. What do I have to do? A: Volunteer response: You just need to fill out this form. Q: Prospective registrant: I dont live in this county. A: Volunteer response: These forms are for anyone living in Maine. We can register you right now. Q: Prospective registrant: I dont think I want to register. My vote doesnt really count. A: Volunteer response: We need every Christian voting this fall. Gods definition of marriage is at stake on this years ballot. Q: Prospective registrant: Im in a big hurry. I just dont have time to fill it out now. A: Volunteer response: If person is leaving church: It only takes a minute. Ill show you how. Last resort: Give them a blank form and say, Fill it out and send it in to the town office. If person is going into worship: Ill be here after the service. Please come back. (Avoid taking form into worship.)

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PL AM X
LAST NAME FIRST NAME

PARTY AFFILIATION This portion must be completed. Democratic Federally required questions: Green Independent Are you a citizen of the United States of America? YES NO Republican Will you be 18 years of age on or before Election Day? YES NO Other _________________ I do not wish to enroll in a (If you checked no in response to either of these questions, do not political party at this time complete this form.) (designated as Unenrolled) MIDDLE NAME DATE OF BIRTH
D D

MAINE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION

STREET OR LOCATION ADDRESS (Where you live) (STREET NAME AND NUMBER, NOT A P.O. BOX) CITY, TOWN, PLANTATION OR TOWNSHIP

LY ON E
_ _/ _ _ / _ _ _ _
MM Y Y Y Y

CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS (If different from address above) NUMBER AND STREET OR P.O. BOX, etc. CITY/TOWN

ZIP CODE

PREVIOUS REGISTRATION ADDRESS (Complete or write none below) CITY/TOWN COUNTY STATE ZIP CODE COMPLETE BOTH SIDES OF THIS CARD PLEASE PRINT

TELEPHONE (Optional)

Example Only. Applications must be completed online or with the green cards.

MAINE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION

- COMPLETE BOTH SIDES OF THIS CARD -

CHANGE OF NAME (Prior legal name, if applicable)

______________________________________________________________

LAST

FIRST

MIDDLE

REGISTRARS USE ONLY: Date Received: __________________ Ward-Precinct: ________ - ________ rd Source of Registration: In Person By Mail Agency BMV Voter Registration Drive/3 Person Type of Registration: NEW Maine Voter Registration Form of Proof for ID: _______________ for Residency: __________________ Change of Existing Voter Registration (check boxes below) Form of Proof for Residency: __________________ Address Change to new municipality Address Change within municipality Party Enrollment Change Name Change Other Change __________________________ Duplicate Application (no changes made) INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: Failure to complete this entire application may prevent registration.

PL AM X
_____________________________________________________________________

SIGN AND DATE THIS CARD. Under penalty of law, I certify that the information on this card is true. Signature of Applicant on line above

VOTER ID: By federal law, NEW Maine voters must provide an applicable ID number: 1. Your Maine drivers license/Maine State ID; or 2. If you dont have a Maine drivers license/Maine State ID, the last 4 digits of your Social Security number; or 3. Write none if you dont have either Maine ID.
______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

Date on line above

LY ON E

Deliver or mail this completed card to your municipal registrar or to the Division of Elections: #101 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0101. This properly completed application must be received by the municipal registrar 21 days or more before an election. If less than 21 days before an election, you must register in person. If you are a NEW Maine voter and mail this card, you must include a photocopy of your Maine drivers license, or a utility bill or a government document that shows your name and address. (rev. 08/08) For election information, call 207-624-7650 or visit www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/.

Example Only. Applications must be completed online or with the green cards.

September, 2012 Dear Pastor: I write to encourage you and your church to support the referendum protecting traditional marriage in Maine. Under current IRS regulations churches may distribute and encourage their members to sign the referendum petition. Churches may even expend their resources to assist the referendum effort. Pastors may leverage their influence or their position in the church to support the referendum if they so choose. Church facilities may also be used to support the referendum. The law on this point is very clear: Under the Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3), churches are only prohibited from expending more than an insubstantial part of their overall budget and activities on lobbying matters such as the promotion of the marriage referendum. This legal standard has been interpreted by the federal courts to mean that a church cannot expend more than 5 to 15 percent of its overall budget and activities on supporting or opposing legislation. Churches usually never come anywhere close to this threshold and no church has ever lost its tax exempt status for excessive lobbying. This is one area of the law where no pastor should fear the IRS. It is also permissible for churches to contribute financially to a 501(c)(4) organization that is involved in the referendum campaign. However, churches must designate any contributions given to a 501(c)(4) organization for support of the referendum and not for the support or opposition of any political candidate since churches are prohibited from supporting or opposing political candidates for office. And churches should know that any contributions are taken into consideration in determining whether the church has crossed the line of not more than an insubstantial part of its overall activities and budget spent on lobbying or legislative activities. But it is not enough to simply acknowledge that churches are legally allowed to support the marriage referendum. Every church in Maine should stand to support the referendum. Churches must lead the charge on this issue as they led the charge in the past on the great moral issues of history such as independence, slavery, womens suffrage, ending child labor, and civil rights. Churches and pastors have always been at the forefront of the great moral issues confronting our culture. They have never been afraid to stand for righteousness and to urge morality in culture. And today should be no different.

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Churches in Maine have a tremendous opportunity to lead the charge to protect marriage. Churches in other states have not been as fortunate. There is nothing legally preventing churches and pastors from standing together to support and protect marriage in Maine. This letter is intended to offer general principles and should not be construed as legal advice regarding your particular situation. Churches and pastors may obtain legal advice, free of charge, regarding their particular situation from the Alliance Defending Freedom. If you have specific questions, please contact us at (800) 835-5233. Sincerely,

Erik W. Stanley Senior Legal Counsel

IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE: Any tax advice contained in this communication was not written for the purpose of and is not intended to be used for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties imposed by the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending any transaction or matter addressed herein.

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GUIDELINES FOR POLITICAL ACTIVITIES BY CHURCHES AND PASTORS

_________________________ Revenue Code as they apply to churches and pastors.1 We encourage you to share them with your colleagues. As guidelines, they may not address every situation that you face and should not be construed as legal advice.2 Churches and pastors, however, may request legal advice free of charge regarding a particular situation by contacting Alliance Defending Freedom at 1-800-8355233 or www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org. While the following guidelines will help you and your church stay within the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) rules concerning political activities by churches and pastors, Alliance Defending Freedom believes that some IRS restrictions are unconstitutional. For instance, we believe that churches and pastors have the right to speak Biblical truth from the pulpit about candidates for office, even if that means opposing or supporting particular candidates from the pulpit. Churches and pastors have spoken the truth of Scripture from the pulpit in regard to voting for or against candidates for office from the beginning of our country. Unfortunately, churches and pastors have allowed themselves to be censored by the unconstitutional IRS guidelines prohibiting any speech that may be considered to endorse or oppose a candidate for office. Alliance Defending Freedom has launched a project to challenge this restriction as unconstitutional and to restore the voice of the church. If you are interested in participating in this exciting project or want more information, please contact Alliance Defending Freedom at once. We want to work with you to restore true freedom to Americas pulpits. Federal Tax-Exempt Status of Churches Almost all churches are exempt from federal income taxes. As a tax exempt organization, a church:
Although churches are subject to the rules of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) as well as those of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), FECA generally does not impact churches. Because the IRS has concluded that section 501(c)(3) absolutely prohibits any political campaign activity, activities regulated under FECA are already prohibited by the IRC. Particularly, state laws may be more restrictive than these guidelines, and therefore, in applying them to specific situations regarding state candidates or state elections, an attorney should be consulted.
2 1

September 2012

The following legal overview and guidelines summarize the requirements of the Internal

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(1) (2)

is exempt from paying corporate income taxes, and donations to the church are tax deductible on individuals federal tax returns; may expend funds for religious, charitable, and educational purposes, as well as an insubstantial amount on lobbying to promote or oppose legislation.

Under section 501(c)(3), however, exempt organizations may not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Still, not all political activity which would influence an election falls under this prohibition. Permissible Political Activity and Impermissible Campaign Activity The type of political activity prohibited by the IRS is participating or intervening in a political campaignalso known as campaign activity. The Internal Revenue Code requires that churches refrain from supporting or opposing a candidates campaign. Campaign activity involves endorsements of candidates or expenditures of funds to expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate for political office. The IRS guidelines prohibit direct contributions to a candidate, as well as in-kind contributions, which include giving anything of value to a candidate (such as a church mailing list). Independent expenditures, which are expenditures expressly advocating the election or defeat of a political candidate when made without the knowledge of or consultation with any candidate, are also prohibited. Speech about public issues may incidentally influence elections, but the government is far more limited in its ability to restrict discussion about issues. Churches may speak out about social and moral issues, the actions of government officials in office, and the positions of candidates on issues. As long as a church does not endorse or oppose a specific candidate for public office, it has broad freedom to praise or criticize officials and candidates. Pastors Individual Rights Pastors and priests, acting as individuals and not as official church representatives, have the same rights as all other American citizens to involve themselves in political activity. Therefore, they have much greater latitude in this area than do churches. They may even endorse or oppose candidates so long as the endorsement is not on behalf of the church and is not made in a way that gives the appearance that the endorsement is made on behalf of the church. Pastors are understandably concerned about the legal effects of political activity on themselves and their churches, but they should be aware that they are not required to be passive or remain silent. If they follow these basic guidelines, pastors may lift their voices publicly without fear.

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Guidelines for Political Activities by Churches and Pastors Political Activity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Discuss the positions of candidates on issues Endorse or oppose candidates Financial contributions to candidates In-kind contributions to candidates Independent expenditures supporting or opposing candidates Contributions to political action committees (PACs) Payment of expenses for attendance at a caucus or state/national political party convention Appearance of candidate at church meeting or service Non-partisan voter registration activities Non-partisan voter identification activities Non-partisan get-out-the-vote activities Non-partisan voter education Lobbying for or against legislation Expenditures related to state referendums4 Distribution of: a. Candidate surveys or voter guides b. Voting records of incumbents c. Candidate campaign literature Distribution by others of political materials in church parking lots Rental of church membership lists at regular rates Rental of church facilities at regular rates
3 4

Church Yes No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Pastor3 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A

16. 17. 18.

Acting as an individual rather than an official church representative. Lobbying activities may expose churches in some states to election law register and reporting requirements as a political committee. Many of these statutes are unconstitutional because they expose churches to intrusive regulations for a very small amount of lobbying. If you find your church exposed to such state election law requirements, contact Alliance Defending Freedom immediately so an attorney can review your situation.

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19.

Church publications: a. Political ads at regular rates b. News stories about candidates or campaigns c. Editorials endorsing or opposing candidates

Yes Yes No

N/A N/A N/A

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Explanations of Guidelines
Item 1. Discuss the positions of candidates on public issues. Pastors and churches are free to discuss the positions of candidates on issuesincluding criticizing or praising them for their positions. This is called issue advocacy. Item 2. Endorse or oppose candidates. Endorsing or opposing a candidate includes any statement which uses explicit words to expressly advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, such as elect, support, defeat, or oppose. This is called express advocacy. Distributing campaign literature from a candidate is also prohibited express advocacy. A pastor in his individual capacity, however, may endorse or oppose a candidate. The pastor may state his affiliation with his church, as long as it is indicated that this is for identification purposes only and that his endorsement is from him personally, not his church. The IRS has taken the unequivocal position that a pastor may not endorse or oppose a candidate from the pulpit. Nevertheless, Alliance Defending Freedom believes that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects these statements from the pulpit, and Alliance Defending Freedom will vigorously defend the rights of pastors who choose to do so. Churches and pastors may support or oppose the appointment of judicial, cabinet, or other non-elected officials so long as it does not involve a partisan selection process. This is considered lobbying, not active electioneering. Item 6. Contributions to political action committees (PACs). A PAC is any organization of two or more people whose major purpose is to engage in active electioneering by contributing to candidates or by expressly advocating the election or defeat of candidates for political office. Contributions to PACs from church funds are forbidden, and churches may not organize PACs. Item 8. Appearance of a candidate at a church meeting or service. A candidate may appear at a church service. The appearance of a candidate before a church service, however, is limited as follows: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) All legally qualified candidates should be invited; The questions should be prepared and presented by an independent non-partisan panel; The topics discussed should cover a broad range of issues of interest to the public; Each candidate should have an equal opportunity to present his or her views on the issues discussed; and The moderator should not comment on the questions or otherwise make comments that imply approval or disapproval of the candidates.

Candidates may be introduced at a church service or may preach or read scripture without any restrictions. In addition, public officials who are also candidates, may be invited to speak to a church as a public official, without complying with the above requirements, if no reference is made to the public officials candidacy, if the public official speaks only in his or her capacity as a public official, and if there is no campaign activity in connection with the public officials appearance. Items 9, 10 & 11. Non-partisan voter registration, voter identification, and get-out-the-vote activities. A church may participate in non-partisan voter registration, voter identification, and get out the vote activities. To be non-partisan, these activities may not be directed at the supporters of any particular candidate or political party. A church may, however, direct these activities at certain groups using non-partisan criteria, such as church membership, geographic location or position on certain issues. Furthermore, such activities will not be viewed as non-partisan if they are accompanied by literature praising or criticizing particular candidates or political parties for their positions on issues. Item 12. Non-partisan voter education. Churches may participate in non-partisan voter education. Here, voter education involves discussion of the electoral process, such as how to run for public office or delegate, how to register, and where to vote. All these activities are permissible as long as they are not directed at supporters of a particular candidate or political party. Item 13. Lobbying for or against legislation. Churches may spend an insubstantial amount of their funds yearly on lobbying. An insubstantial amount is generally considered 5 to 15 percent of a churchs funds. Lobbying is of two types: (1) direct lobbying, which involves direct communications with governmental officials regarding legislative or executive action, and (2) grass roots lobbying, where the church communicates with its members or the general public, urging them to contact governmental officials in support of or in opposition to legislative or executive action. As a result, a church may discuss legislative issues, support or oppose legislation, encourage its members or the general public to support or oppose legislation, and support other organizations with their lobbying efforts. Furthermore, churches may lobby candidates about issues and distribute educational material to candidates or at political events, as long as this is being done to get out the churchs message and not to assist any candidate. Item 14. Expenditures related to state referendums. Churches may make expenditures in connection with state referendums, including making a financial or in-kind contribution to a referendum effort. Such expenditures are considered direct lobbying. In addition, state election laws should be consulted for any requirements imposed on state referendum activities. 5

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Some state election laws require organizations that lobby on initiatives and referendums to register as a political committee and be subject to reporting and disclosure requirements. Many of these state election law requirements are unconstitutional as applied to churches because they subject churches to intrusive disclosure and reporting requirements based on a very small amount of lobbying activity. Alliance Defending Freedom has successfully challenged state election law register and reporting requirements as applied to churches that lobby on initiatives or referenda. If you find your church confronted with a state election law register and reporting requirement, contact Alliance Defending Freedom immediately so an attorney can review your situation.

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state referendum activities. Some state election laws require organizations that lobby on initiatives and referendums to register as a political committee and be subject to reporting and disclosure requirements. Many of these state election law requirements are unconstitutional as applied to churches because they subject churches to intrusive disclosure and reporting requirements based on a very small amount of lobbying activity. Alliance Defending Freedom has successfully challenged state election law register and reporting requirements as applied to churches that lobby on initiatives or referenda. If you find your church confronted with a state election law register and reporting requirement, contact Alliance Defending Freedom immediately so an attorney can review your situation. Item 15. Distribution of: (a). Candidate surveys or voter guides. Churches may publish the results of surveys of candidates on public issues (often called voter guides). Voter guides should not include an endorsement of a candidate or otherwise expressly advocate the election or defeat of any candidate. Further, voter guides should not include advocate voting for or against candidates who support or oppose particular issues, i.e., singe issue voting. Churches also may distribute voter guides prepared by other organizations that meet these guidelines. As a result, church questionnaires should conform to the following guidelines: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Questionnaires should be sent to all candidates; The questions should cover a wide variety of issues; The questions should not indicate a bias toward the churchs preferred answer; The candidates responses should not be compared to the churchs preferred position; The responses should be published in the candidates own words or in a neutral, unbiased, and complete summary of the candidates position; and (6) The survey should not be published under the direction or control, direct or indirect, of any candidate.

(b). Voting records of incumbents. Churches may also publish the voting records of incumbent public officeholders. In the case of publication of voting records, the church has more leeway than in publishing candidate surveys, as follows: (1) (2) (3) (4) Incumbents positions should not be compared to the positions of other candidates or the churchs position; The voting record should be distributed on a regular basis, not just at election time; The voting record should be broadly distributed to the general public, not targeted to certain voting blocks; A variety of issues of interest to the general public should be presented.

Item 16. Distribution by others of political materials in church parking lots. Under some state constitutions, if a church parking lot is open for public use, people have a free speech right to distribute literature there. Even if there is no such right, a church is not responsible for political literature distributed by others in their parking lot without their permission or consent, and a church has no obligation to bar people from distributing political literature there. In the same way, a church may choose to post its parking lot to allow only attendees to use the parking for church activities; the church need not allow literature distribution on its premises. Item 17. Rental of church membership lists at regular rates. Churches may give candidates or political action committees access to church membership lists on the same basis that other non-church groups are allowed to have them. If other non-church groups are required to pay some cost for using the list(s), the candidate or PAC should be charged the same amount. Item 18. Rental of church facilities at regular rates. Churches may allow candidates or political action committees to use church facilities for meetings or campaign appearances on the same basis that other non-church groups are allowed to do so. If other non-church groups are required to pay some rent for using the church property, the candidate or PAC should be charged the same amount. Item 19. Church publications. (a). Political ads at regular rates. Church publications, such as church bulletins and newsletters, may include an advertisement for a candidate or political action committee, as long as the candidate or PAC purchases the ad at regular rates. If discounts are given to regular advertisers under certain circumstances, the same discounts may be extended to a political advertiser. A political ad may not otherwise be sold to a candidate at less than the regular rate, since this would constitute a financial contribution to the candidate. The political ad must be identified as paid political advertising, and the church must include a disclaimer stating it does not endorse the candidate. Advertising must also be solicited from all candidates on an equal basis. (b). News stories about candidates or campaigns. Church publications may include news stories on candidates and political campaigns. The publication of voting records and candidate surveys are subject to the limitations delineated in Items 15 (a) & (b). (c). Editorials endorsing or opposing candidates. Church publication, however, may not publish an editorial that endorses or opposes a candidate for office.

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