if i owned a yacht i'd call her the 'nonpartisan-ship'
A student group distributes a guide that rates candidates based on how well their policies align with student interests, giving “grades” to each party.
Partisan
A non-partisan GOTV campaign partners with an environmental club on campus to promote voter turnout. The club has previously endorsed a specific party’s climate plan.
Partisan – If the environmental club has actively endorsed a party, partnering with them could create an implicit bias. To stay non-partisan, the GOTV campaign should ensure the partnership focuses solely on voter participation, not issue-based advocacy that leans toward one party.
A student association releases a survey asking students which issues matter most to them. After results show high concern for housing, they only highlight the housing policies of parties that favor rent control.
Partisan – Highlighting only certain parties' policies based on survey results selectively frames the discussion and could be perceived as an endorsement.
The GOTV campaign shares an office with a student club. A partisan poster from the club is visible in the background of their video updates.
Potentially Partisan – While the GOTV campaign itself isn’t displaying the poster, its presence in official communications could give the impression of endorsement. It would be best to ensure a neutral background in all GOTV-related materials.
A student union running a GOTV campaign tweets: “Make your voice heard this election! #VoteForChange” – a slogan also used by a major political party.
Partisan – Even though the message is generic, using a slogan closely associated with a political party can imply endorsement. GOTV campaigns should avoid language that could be interpreted as aligning with a specific party’s messaging.
You coordinate your entire GOTV team to wear a colour that's explicitly tied to a political party
Potentially Partisan - The optics aren't great!
A candidate running for office stops by a student-run voter registration booth and takes a selfie in front of the GOTV banner. The student union later shares this on social media.
Potentially Partisan – Even if the GOTV campaign didn’t invite or coordinate with the candidate, posting a photo with only one candidate could be perceived as endorsement.
A local social media influencer, known for supporting a specific party, shares a GOTV post and adds: “Get out and vote for the party that cares about students!” The GOTV campaign then reposts it.
Partisan – Even though the original post was made by an external individual, resharing it can be seen as amplifying partisan messaging. GOTV campaigns should be careful about what they engage with on social media.
A GOTV campaign posts: “Voting by mail is the safest and most reliable way to vote this election!” even though some parties have criticized mail-in voting.
Potentially Partisan – While providing information on voting methods is important, endorsing one method over another—especially if it has been politicized—can be seen as taking a partisan stance. A better approach would be to neutrally list all voting options.