This policy was adopted by the LWVUS/LWVEF Boards on June 27, 2025.

As a 501(c)3 designated organization, The League of Women Voters Education Fund (“LWVEF”) may not endorse a candidate or express support or opposition for any candidate or party, even for nonpartisan offices. Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code does allow leaders of organizations to support candidates in their private capacity (provided they refrain from making use of their official positions and/or organizational resources to do so). Leaders of 501(c)3 organizations can still speak out about issues in their official capacity, but not candidates for political office.

To clarify further limitations on partisan and political activity of members of the Board of Trustees of LWVEF and The Board of Directors of The League of Woman Voters of the United States (a 501(c)4 designated organization, “LWVUS”), the governing Boards of LWVUS and LWVEF require additional limitations on partisan and political activity of Board members and Officers of their respective organizations.

This policy shall be reviewed and amended or readopted by the Boards of LWVUS and LWVEF at the beginning of each new biennium.

For the duration of their term(s) in office, a Board member or Officer of LWVUS or LWVEF shall refrain from:

• Running for, or holding, any partisan elective office at any level of government. A Board member or Officer may run for or hold a local non-partisan elective office, after consultation with and approval by the relevant Board of Trustees or Board of Directors and the president of the affected local League.
• Serving in any official position in a political party at any level of government.
• Chairing a political campaign or administering fundraising for a political campaign, chairing a campaign event, acting as a spokesperson, or working in any other significant way in the campaign of a candidate for a partisan office at any level of government.
• Making campaign contributions to campaigns or candidates for any federal, state or local office or to political parties or other entities contributing to such federal, state or local races.
• Indicating their political affiliations or candidate preferences at any level of government in the media, including on social networking sites or other public venues that also prominently identify them as a member of the LWVUS Board of Directors or LWVEF Board of Trustees.

Disclosure and Clarification. Should a member of the Board of Directors of LWVUS or Board of Trustees of LWVEF need further clarification on situations arising in connection with the above limitations, any concerns or questions should be brought to the attention of the Chair of the Governance Committee.