Can Nonprofits Provide Incentives to Individuals to Register to Vote, to Vote, or to Reward Them for Doing so?

NO. In any election in which a federal candidate is on the ballot, federal law prohibits any individual or entity, including 501(c)(3) nonprofits, social welfare organizations, and unions, from knowingly and willfully paying, offering to pay, or accepting payment either for registering to vote or voting. Penalties include up to $10,000 in fines and/or imprisonment up to five years. This prohibition applies only when the act is knowing and willful and does not require that the payment actually be made or that any individuals actually register to vote or vote. A payment includes anything having monetary value (e.g. cash, lottery chances, the promise of government benefits such as supplemental nutrition assistance, or even a glass of beer or slice of pizza).