Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

Do:

• Preach on moral and social issues and encourage civic involvement.
• Engage in voter registration activities that avoid promoting any one candidate or particular political party.
• Distribute educational materials to voters, but only those that do not favor a particular candidate or party and that cover a wide range of issues.
• Invite candidates or elected officials to speak at church services. Churches that allow only one candidate or a single party’s candidate to speak can be seen as favoring that candidate or party. No candidate should be prohibited from addressing a church if others running for the same office have been allowed to speak. Exempt from this are public figures who may speak at a church, but they must refrain from addressing their candidacy.
• Conduct candidate or issues forums where each duly qualified candidate is invited and provided an equal opportunity to address the congregation.

Don’t:

• Endorse candidates on behalf of the church.
• Use church funds or services to contribute directly to candidates or political committees.
• Permit the distribution of material on church premises that favors any one candidate or political party.
• Use church funds to pay fees for political events.
• Set up a political committee that would contribute funds directly to political candidates.
• Allow candidates to solicit funds while speaking in a church.

Adapted from resources provided by Jay Sekulow and Faith and Family.

What churches can legally do regarding elections:

Do:

• Preach sermons on moral and social issues and civic movements.
• Educate on the political process and political, social and legislative issues.
• Distribute candidate surveys and incumbent voting records.
• Encourage members to voice their opinions in favor or opposition to legislation.
• Discuss Biblical instruction regarding particular moral, social and legislative issues.
• Support or oppose judicial, department or cabinet appointments.
• Support or oppose other political appointments for non-elected offices.
• Provide use of facilities to candidates (as long as all other candidates are invited to use as well).
• Conduct petition drives supporting or opposing legislation.
• Support or oppose legislation unrelated to the church.
• Support or oppose legislation that directly relates to the church.
• Engage in voter registration activities that avoid promoting any one candidate or political party.

Don’t:

• Endorse or oppose political candidates.
• Make contributions to Political Action Committees.
• Post editorials in the church bulletin endorsing or opposing political candidates.
• Campaign for candidates.
• Conduct fundraising for political candidates.
• Grant use of church name to support a political candidate.
• Make contributions directly to political candidates.
• Make in-kind or independent expenditures for or against political candidates.
• Support or oppose judicial candidates.

Adapted from resources provided by Jay Sekulow and Faith and Family.