That despair erupted in April when thousands of protesters, angered by accusations that the Communists had engaged in election fraud, poured into the streets of Chisinau, the capital, to demand new elections.
But the I.R.S. has for years maintained that groups meet that rule as long as they are not "primarily engaged" in election work, a substantially different threshold.
Those engaged in election research usually concede that polls may discourage or derail some candidates and also may inhibit campaign contributions.
The heightened profile and interest in the hearings has inevitably made this panel a focal point for those engaged in election debates.
Working for one of only three I.R.S. divisions not charged with collecting tax revenue, specialists in the Determinations Unit in Cincinnati primarily review and process roughly 70,000 applications for exemptions each year, relatively few from groups engaged in election activity.
With the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Change.org is hoping to get more than political pundits engaged this election season.
"Viewers are incredibly engaged this election season, with a real appetite for political news," said Phil Griffin, Senior Vice President, NBC News and Executive in Charge of MSNBC.
In part, the difference was that millions who did not participate in 2005 in protest to their government became engaged this election.
Why do the Religious "Elect" Engage Elections Differently Across Sub-Saharan Africa, and What Does This Mean for Democratization?
But unlike the Christian right, which tends to focus on winning elections, liberals have tended to place their energies into issue advocacy and have not directly engaged in elections.
Is Israel just engaged in election-season muscle flexing?
