If the arts hope to sustain and grow public funding and arts education policy, individuals and organizations must do what they can to bring forth the arts as an election issue. Many non-profit organizations believe they cannot be engaged in the election in any form; unfortunately this misconception keeps organizations and individuals from meaningful actions that could advance the arts in the public sector. The time to make a friend of a Legislator is before the election.

List of 2013-15 North Carolina Representatives and Senators

(based on unofficial election results)
 
 

Know your Candidates
            and their Position on Government Support for the Arts

All candidates for NC House and Senate were sent the Election 2012 survey by hard copy mail.

Click Here for the Election Survey
Click Here for the Cover Letter that was sent with the Survey

Contact your County State Board of Election (www.ncsbe.gov) and know who is on the ballot in your district for the NC House and Senate and their mail or email contact information.

Click here to see Candidate Responses to Election 2012 Survey

If your candidate has not responded, send an email or short handwritten note asking them to respond online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C29GQWG

Get Involved

• Click on NC Center for Nonprofits’“Gear Up” for election activities
• Click on Nonprofit Vote for election materials
• Organize arts presence at candidate forums.

Individuals

• Make a contribution.
• Volunteering for a campaign.
• Check campaign finance reports and know who supports the candidates in your district.

The Final Authority

What the Internal Revenue Service says about non-profits and election involvement:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=154712,00.html

Watch these two excellent presentations on “Being Nonpartisan” and “Hosting a Candidate Forum” at http://www.nonprofitvote.org/.   Nonprofit Vote is dedicated to engaging non-profits in voting and elections.

Get Educated

North Carolina State Board of Elections has information on dates, filings, redistricting and campaign finance reports. Go to – www.ncsbe.gov