EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
There's 48 days until November's general election and the campaigns are heating up.
When it comes to picking a candidate, there are some people and organizations who have to keep their choices a secret.
If you go to the Internal Revenue Service website, you'll find a section, Restriction of Political Campaign Intervention by 501-c-3, tax-exempt organizations.
Simply put, if you're a non-profit or a church, keep your political preferences to yourself.
On signs and on TV, you see messages with endorsements of specific political candidates, but when it comes to church, the IRS says "No politics at the pulpit."
"For me, it's important that I'm there to say, 'thus sayeth the Lord,' not this is who you should vote for," George Huffsmith said.
Not that issues like jobs, the death penalty, and abortion aren't important to First Baptist Church Pastor George Huffsmith. But legally, the IRS says church leaders and all non-profit organizations can't say who to vote for.
"If I was to go to a place where I would infringe on those guidelines, I would probably be stepping out of my role as proclaiming God's word and suddenly I'm proclaiming a political position," Huffsmith said.
That also means no political advertising or signs on church property.
"It's something we take seriously. It's something that is very important to the church," said Rick Jillson, the communication director at the Diocese of Evansville.
What Pastor George and others can talk about are the church's stances on each issue, he says, according to the bible.
After that, he says, it's up to the faithful to connect the dots.
"I'm not going to endorse a candidate. But what I am going to say is what you hear today, you need to prayerfully consider when you step into that polling place," Huffsmith said.
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