William_T._Bianco,_David_T._Canon]_American_Polit

NUTS

& B O LT S

10.3

Interest Groups and Electioneering:

Types of Organizations

An interest group’s ability to engage in electioneering depends on how it is organized—specifically, what

section of the IRS code applies to the organization. The following table gives details on four common

organizations: 501(c) organizations, 527 organizations, PACs, and so-called Super PACs. Many individuals

choose to contribute money to nonprofits organized as 501(c)(4) groups, which can lobby and engage in

electioneering as long as their “primary activity” (at least half of their overall activity) is not political.

Type of Organization Advantages Disadvantages

501(c)(3) Contributions tax deductible Cannot engage in political activities, and lobbying can be

no more than 20 percent of spending (but voter education

and mobilization is permitted)

527 Can spend unlimited amounts on issue advocacy and

voter mobilization

Cannot make contributions to candidates or coordinate

efforts with candidates or parties

501(c)(4) Can spend unlimited amounts on electioneering; does

not have to disclose contributors

At least half of its activities must be nonpolitical; cannot

coordinate efforts with candidates or parties

PACs Can contribute directly to candidates and parties Strict limits on direct contributions

Super PACs Can spend unlimited amounts on electioneering; can

support or oppose specific candidates

Cannot make contributions to candidates or coordinate

efforts with candidates or parties

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touch with members and let them know about issues that the group is working on.

Any contact with citizens, whether to encourage them to join the group, contribute

money, or engage in grassroots lobbying, also involves elements of persuasion—trying

to transform citizens into supporters and supporters into true believers and even

activists. In the case of gun control, for example, the NR A has an aggressive campaign

to encourage members to contact their elected officials and to express their opinions.

A focused mobilization effort involves contacting large numbers of potential

supporters (beyond just members) through e-mail, phone calls, direct mail, television

advertising, print media, social media, and websites. In order to get legislators to

respond, a group has to persuade large numbers of people to get involved. One example

of mobilization occurs during congressional hearings on nominees to the Supreme

Court or other federal judgeships. One study found that about one-third of the groups

that lobbied for or against these nominees also deployed direct mail and leaflets and

ran phone banks as a way to influence public opinion.^47

Electioneering Interest groups get involved in elections by making contributions

to candidates, mobilizing people (including their own staff ) to help in a campaign,

endorsing candidates, funding campaign ads, or mobilizing a candidate’s or party’s

supporters. All these efforts seek to influence who gets elected, with the expectation

that changing who gets elected will affect what government does.

Federal laws limit groups’ electioneering and lobbying efforts (see Nuts & Bolts 10.3).

For example, most private organizations and associations in America are organized

as 501(c)(3) organizations, a designation based on their Internal Revenue Service

classification, which means that donations to the group are tax deductible. However,

501(c)(3) organizations are not allowed to advocate for or against political candidates,

and lobbying must not constitute more than 20 percent of the group’s total expenditures

(certain public-education programs or voter-registration drives that are conducted in

Interest group strategies

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