About Charities and Elections

MANY CHARITIES, especially left-leaning ones, are feeling a bite in their fund raising, as donors focus their giving on the presidential campaign.

SOME PUBLIC-INTEREST GROUPS are distancing themselves from Ralph Nader, fearing a repeat of 2000, when they took heat from donors angry about his role in the election.

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS can teach charities a lot about using the Internet to raise money and mobilize supporters.

A HUMAN-RIGHTS ORGANIZATION in California has invited 20 foreign observers to the United States to monitor the presidential race.

INCREASING VOTER TURNOUT is the subject of a new book, financed in part by the Pew Charitable Trusts, that is helping groups figure out how best to tackle the issue.

RELIGIOUS GROUPS and watchdog organizations say President Bush's re-election campaign may have encouraged churches to violate federal prohibitions on electioneering (Tax Watch).