Maryland teachers union urges Democratic members ‘flip’ to Republican to ‘impact’ election

Bel Air, Md. (WBFF) — The Harford County Education Association, the teachers’ union, is urging its Democratic membership to “Flip” their voter registrations to Republican to impact Maryland’s upcoming primary election results.

Some say this type of political activism deviates from the teachers’ union’s nonprofit mission, while cheapening the democratic process.

In mid-April, the Harford County Education Association issued a newsletter to its members. Over the newsletter’s 15 pages, the teachers’ union discusses many topics important to educators – such as contract negotiations, understanding school budgets or how to attend training sessions.

But in reading the newsletter, one page seems to stand out. A page that, at the top, contains a large red arrow that reads, “Flip”. You can’t miss it.

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On this page, the teachers’ union is “encouraging” its members who are “Democrats or Independent” to “switch their party affiliation” to Republican to give the union a larger “impact on upcoming elections.”

The newsletter even includes a QR Code that directs readers to the Maryland State Board of Elections website where party affiliation can be changed. It’s “SO EASY!” the newsletter explains.

The teachers’ union is “encouraging” its members who are “Democrats or Independent” to “switch their party affiliation” (WBFF)

“This is new to Harford County,” County Executive Bob Cassilly told Project Baltimore. “It makes everybody cynical about our government, about democracy.”

The reason Project Baltimore spoke to Cassilly is because he’s the Republican, according to the newsletter, that it appears the union is trying to remove from office by urging members to switch political parties before Maryland’s primary on June 23.

“It’s very arrogant,” Cassilly remarked. “And they want to be able to choose not just who’s on the ballot in the Democratic primary. They want to choose who’s on the ballot in the Republican primary.”

The Harford County Education Association is a 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization. According to HCEA’s federal financial filings, its mission is “to work for the welfare of the educators and students of Harford County, Maryland.”

But in calling for registered Democrats to “Flip” Republican to “impact” election results, the union does not explain how that would help “educators and students”. In fact, the welfare of educators and students are not even mentioned on the “Flip” page – despite being the union’s primary mission.

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly (WBFF)

Cassilly believes what’s being done is gaming the system.

“Yeah, absolutely,” said Cassilly. “That’s the sad part because clearly that degrades the effectiveness of government.”

According to the Internal Revenue Services, the IRS, a 501(c)(5), can engage in “some political activities,” as long as it’s “not its primary activity.” But Cassilly says encouraging members to “Flip” political parties to influence elections is not in the spirit of what the union’s non-profit status is intended to do.

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“It’s just very inappropriate to have a union that’s supposed to be a 501(c)(5) organization-that’s to be for the kids and for the teachers to come in and say, we’re going to deviate from that mission, we’re going to also try to influence the political process as well,” Cassilly stated. “It’s not what the nonprofit status was designed for, certainly.”

Project Baltimore requested an interview with the teachers’ union to discuss how asking members to switch political affiliation benefits “educators and students in fulfillment of HCEA’s stated mission as a nonprofit?” And “Does this approach to elections “game the system” as Mr. Cassilly suggests?”

Project Baltimore’s Chris Papst and County Executive Bob Cassilly (WBFF)

Project Baltimore sent an email to HCEA’s President and two Vice-Presidents. None of them wrote back.

Cassilly told Project Baltimore that he’d never promote the idea of Republicans switching to Democrats to influence the election.

“No. To me, there’s principle,” explained Cassillly. “It just cheapens our entire electoral system.”

What is the role of a nonprofit teachers’ union when it comes to elections? Should teachers’ unions be trying influence primary election results by asking members to flip parties? That part of the story in the coming days.

Follow Project Baltimore’s Chris Papst on X and Facebook. Send news tips to cjpapst@sbgtv.com