Source: https://www.atheists.org/legal/faq/government-politics/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 00:01:51+00:00

Document:
Is it legal for a church to be used as a polling place?
It is important to note that there are few court cases on this topic. Moreover, there are good reasons to believe that the use of churches as polling places violates the fundamental right to vote. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a law prohibiting display of campaign literature within 100 feet of a polling place based on its conclusion that “a State has a compelling interest in protecting voters from confusion and undue influence.”4 Since then, extensive studies have revealed that the place where a vote is cast can unduly influence voters’ choices; voting in a church may unconsciously activate “conservative, Christian values.”5 Because the effect is unconscious, the availability of absentee ballot procedures does not adequately protect against undue influence caused by the use of a church as a polling place.
Although polling places should not have religious images or messages,6 churches are not always diligent in providing a neutral voting area. In the Florida case Rabinowitz v. Anderson, the plaintiff encountered an anti-abortion banner, multiple crosses, and religious slogans at his polling place. The danger of churches unduly influencing elections is real.
If your polling place is a church, note any visible religious iconography or other images meant to influence your vote and take photographs if possible. Churches are allegedly chosen as polling places for practical reasons—parking areas, handicap accessibility, the ability to handle high traffic, etc.7 If secular alternatives meeting the requirements of your state’s Election Code exist and are practicable, submit a complaint to local officials suggesting that your polling place be changed. Examples of secular alternatives include schools, libraries, and fire stations.
Be aware that some schools are requesting not to serve as polling places because of security concerns.8 Other secular alternatives may have concerns about lost revenue, inability to accommodate vehicle or pedestrian traffic, or inability to remain open during the hours needed for elections. For these reasons, not all secular alternatives are available to serve as polling places.
1. Otero v. State Election Bd. of Okla., 975 F.2d 738, 740-41 (10th Cir. 1992).
2. Otero v. State Election Bd. of Okla., 975 F.2d 738, 740-41 (10th Cir. 1992).
3. Berman v. Board of Elections, 420 F.2d 684 (2d Cir. N.Y. 1969).
4. Burson v. Freeman, 504 U.S. 191, 199 (1992).
5. Jeremy A. Blumenthal & Terry L. Turnipseed, The Polling Place Priming Effect: Is Voting in Churches (or Anywhere Else) Unconstitutional?, 91 B.U. L. REV 563, 570-73 (2011).
6. See Civil Liberties Groups Decry Church Messaging at Polling Places, AM. INDEP. INST., http://americanindependent.com/217973/civil-liberties-groups-decry-church-messaging-at-polling-places (quoting Americans United for Separation of Church and State Communication Director Rob Boston).
8. E.g., Id.; Elliot Hughes, City Council Member, Pastor Spar Over Churches as Polling Places, GAZETTEXTRA (Aug. 20, 2015), http://www.gazettextra.com/20150820/city_council_member_pastor_spar_over_churches_as_polling_places.
Is it legal for the President, or other politicians, to declare a day of prayer or to participate in the National Prayer Breakfast or similar events?
No, but the courts have never managed to reach a conclusion on the matter.
As to the second part of the question, the courts have never addressed the question of whether or not the president, or any other official, can participate in the National Prayer Breakfast, or a similar event, in an official capacity.
1. 36 U.S.C. § 119.
2. Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668, 677 (1984).
3. Cnty. Of Allegheny v. ACLU, 492 U.S. 573, 603 n.52 (1989).
4. Freedom from Religion Found., Inc. v. Obama, 705 F.Supp. 2d 1039, 1069-70 (W.D. Wis. 2010).
5. Freedom from Religion Found., Inc. v. Obama, 641 F.3d 803, 808 (7th Cir. 2011).
6. Freedom from Religion Found., Inc. v. Obama, 641 F.3d 803, 806-07 (7th Cir. 2011).
Is it legal for a church to advocate for a particular politician or policy on the ballot?
No, but churches and religious nonprofit organization may engage in limited lobbying efforts.
Churches, like many other nonprofit organizations, are categorized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.1 A 1954 amendment to the Internal Revenue Code, proposed by then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from participating or intervening in “any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.”2 As a result, churches are disallowed from supporting or opposing any specific candidate in any way.
However, the Internal Revenue Code does not prohibit churches from politicking altogether. It specifically allows 501(c)(3) organizations to engage in lobbying so long as “no substantial part of [the organization’s activity] is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation.”3 When does lobbying amount to a substantial part of a church’s activities? Inferring from two Internal Revenue Service (IRS) cases, churches may spend between 5 to 15 percent of their time engaged in political lobbying, though no bright-line rule exists.4 In general, churches may engage in activity encouraging citizens to vote, conduct forums for debate, and publish non-partisan voter education guides.5 Yet any activities that display an element of bias are not allowed: a church’s voter education initiatives should not indicate that the organization favors any candidate.
The IRS’ inaction aside, there may be state or local laws governing the types of messages that churches are permitted to convey. For instance, many states have instituted bans on electioneering within certain distances of polling places, which oftentimes may include churches.11 Furthermore, organizations concerned about the unconstitutional mixture of religion and government continue to make the IRS aware of violations of the law.12 While federal enforcement of rules against politicking has recently been lax, laws do remain in place making endorsement of a specific candidate illegal and there is hope that the rules could be enforced moving forward.
2. IRS, CHARITIES, CHURCHES AND POLITICS, https://www.irs.gov/uac/Charities,-Churches-and-Politics (last updated Oct. 2, 2015).
3. I.R.C. § 501(c)(3) (emphasis added).
4. Matthew D. Staver, Pastors, Churches, and Politics: What May Pastors and Churches Do?, LIBERTY COUNSEL (2007), available at http://www.saltandlightcouncil.org/downloads/pastorsandpolitics.pdf.
5. IRS, THE RESTRICTION OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGN INTERVENTION BY SECTION 501(C)(3) TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS, https://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Charitable-Organizations/The-Restriction-of-Political-Campaign-Intervention-by-Section-501%28c%29%283%29-Tax-Exempt-Organizations.
6. Branch Ministries, Inc. v. Rossotti, 211 F.3d 137 (2000).
7. Branch Ministries, Inc. v. Rossotti, 211 F.3d 137, 142 (2000).
8. Branch Ministries, Inc. v. Rossotti, 211 F.3d 137, 142 (2000).
9. Kate Tracy, IRS to Atheists: Okay, We’ll Investigate Pulpit Freedom Sunday, CHRISTIANITY TODAY (July 25, 2014, 11:33 AM), http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/july/irs-to-atheists-okay-well-investigate-pulpit-freedom-sunday.html.
10. See Press Release, Ams. United for Sep. of Church & State, Religious Right’s Prodding of Churches to Violate Federal Law Pays Off Politically, Says Americans United (Nov. 5, 2014).
11. E.g., 10 ILL. COMP. STAT. 5/7-41(c) ; TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 61.003 (2015).
12. E.g. Kate Tracy, IRS to Atheists: Okay, We’ll Investigate Pulpit Freedom Sunday, CHRISTIANITY TODAY (July 25, 2014, 11:33 AM), http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/july/irs-to-atheists-okay-well-investigate-pulpit-freedom-sunday.html; Press Release, Ams. United for Sep. of Church & State, As 2016 Presidential Campaign Gets Under Way, IRS Should Act to Enforce Non-Profit ‘No-Politicking’ Rule, Says Americans United (Mar. 26, 2015).
Is it legal for a local, state, or federal government to open meetings with a prayer?
Yes, but the prayer cannot proselytize or denigrate any religious viewpoint.
If your city council, county assembly, or board of education engages in legislative prayer which you believe goes beyond these guidelines, please let us know and we will look into the matter.
1. Marsh v. Chambers, 463 U.S. 783 (1983).
2. Town of Greece v. Galloway, ___ U.S. ___, 134 S.Ct. 1811 (2014).
3. Town of Greece v. Galloway, ___ U.S. ___, 134 S.Ct. 1811, 1821-22 (2014).
4. Town of Greece v. Galloway, ___ U.S. ___, 134 S.Ct. 1811, 1826 (2014).
Is it legal to prohibit atheists from holding public office?
* Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
1. U.S. CONST. art. VI.
2. Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488 (1961).
3. Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488, 495 (1961) (quoting Everson v. Bd. of Educ. 330 U.S. 1, 15 (1947)).
4. Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488, 494 (1961).
5. David Zucchino, Councilman Under Fire for Atheism, L.A. TIMES (Dec. 20, 2009), http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/20/nation/la-na-hometown-asheville20-2009dec20.
6. Dan Solomon, Is It Legal for an Atheist to Hold Public Office in Texas?, THE DAILY POST (Dec. 3, 2014), http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/is-it-legal-for-an-atheist-to-hold-public-office-in-texas/.
7. Carlos S. Moreno, An Atheist for Congress?, CNN (Sept. 1, 2014, 8:21 AM), http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/31/opinion/moreno-atheists-unelectable-congress/.
8. PEW RESEARCH CTR., FAITH ON THE HILL: THE RELIGIOUS COMPOSITION OF THE 114TH CONGRESS (Jan. 5, 2015), http://www.pewforum.org/2015/01/05/faith-on-the-hill/.
9. Lydia Saad, Support for Nontraditional Candidates Varies by Religion, GALLUP (June 24, 2015), http://www.gallup.com/poll/183791/support-nontraditional-candidates-varies-religion.aspx?utm_source=Politics&utm_medium=newsfeed&utm_campaign=tiles.
10. PEW RESEARCH CTR., U.S. PUBLIC BECOMING LESS RELIGIOUS (Nov. 3, 2015), http://www.pewforum.org/2015/11/03/u-s-public-becoming-less-religious/.

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