Although the election is over, the ongoing battle about the difference between issue advocacy and electioneering is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. Meanwhile, a new Advisory Opinion from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) also wrestles with this issue.

Nonprofit organizations have taken an active role in voter protection efforts this election season, leading the way with voter registration initiatives, fighting unlawful voter purges, protecting student voting rights, and fighting voter ID requirements, among other activities.

As the November elections near, more allegations of voter purging are cropping up. Michigan, a closely watched swing state in the presidential election, has been a hotbed of voter purging issues in recent weeks. Florida, another swing state, also finds itself in the midst of voter purging issues. Nonprofit organizations, individual citizens, and political parties have recently filed lawsuits alleging that voters are being unlawfully removed from the eligible voter pools.

A new 527 group called The Real Truth About Obama, Inc. (RTAO) has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Richmond, VA, against the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). RTAO plans to run issue ads examining the Democratic presidential candidate's position on abortion and other policy issues. RTAO argues it is not a political action committee (PAC) because it will not advocate for Obama's defeat or election. The group seeks to prevent the enforcement of several FEC regulations regarding when a group must register as a PAC, as well as the enforcement of federal reporting requirements for political organizations, including 527 groups.