How to safely get out the vote among your colleagues

Date Posted: 10/31/2024 | Author: Monty Exter
With early voting in the home stretch and Election Day just around the corner, many are pulling out all the stops to make sure everyone gets out to vote so their preferred candidates prevail at the polls. With that in mind, it’s a good time for a quick reminder of what educators can and can’t do during an election.
The No. 1 thing most classroom educators can’t legally do when communicating during an election is to expend public funds to support or oppose a specific candidate, party, or ballot measure. But what does that mean? There are specific legal nuances, but the bottom line is, don’t use school resources, whether it’s the school email system, copy paper, or your time at school to advocate for a specific candidate.
Be smart, be professional, be mindful not to use public resources—but using your own time and resources, tell everyone you know they need to vote pro-public education.
For more on the dos and don’ts (especially for district and campus administrators), please visit this helpful guide at Texas Educators Vote.
The legal information provided here is accurate as of the date of publication. It is provided here for informative purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and readers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney.
CONVERSATION
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

09/12/2025
Teach the Vote’s Week in Review: Sept. 12, 2025
ATPE takes a deep dive into the biggest question about HB 8, the testing bill passed by the Texas Legislature during its second special session of 2025.

09/11/2025
What’s really in HB 8, the testing bill passed by the Texas Legislature this summer?
HB 8 has some positive, some potentially positive, and some negative aspects. We take a deeper look and answer the question: Does HB 8 increase the number of tests?

09/10/2025
From the Texas Tribune: Texas educators praise new school cellphone ban
The new state ban took effect on Sept. 1, and Texas’ more than 1,200 public school districts have adopted policies ranging from secure phone pouches to increased monitoring.