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The State Board of Elections this week asked the state Attorney General's Office for advice on whether elected officials can transfer funds from their campaign accounts to individuals running for union leadership.

The request for clarification comes after Montgomery County teachers union President Bonnie Cullison asked several state lawmakers to contribute to her bid for an at-large seat on the National Education Association's Executive Committee.

The Gazette also requested clarification from the AG's office.

Neither request was filled by press time.

Politicians frequently transfer money to each other's campaigns through their campaign accounts, but those races involve public offices and the transfers have to be reported. The transfers are subject to contribution limits of $6,000 per election cycle.

Cullison, 54, has asked state lawmakers to contribute "as much as they can" toward her $50,000 campaign goal. The money, Cullison said, would be used for airfare to attend the NEA's regional conferences and to distribute literature to the 9,000 union delegates, who will vote in July on committee members.

Her run for the NEA seat is a "completely personal endeavor that has nothing to do with the ‘apple ballot,'" Cullison said.

For years, the apple ballot has been key to winning political races in Montgomery County. The ballot, which is produced by the county's teachers union, includes the union's endorsements for local and state offices, and is handed out to voters at polling places on Election Day. The ballots also are mailed to registered county voters.

Some lawmakers have willingly tapped their campaign accounts to support Cullison because of the importance of having a local leader serving on the national stage.

The NEA executive committee is responsible for setting the group's general policy and goals for financial interests. If elected, Cullison wants to help set a strategy on how local unions collaborate with their respective school systems.

The job is not a full-time post, and Cullison also plans to seek a position in the county school system.

Some lawmakers privately raised the question of whether colleagues are feeling pressured to contribute to Cullison's campaign because of the apple ballot's impact.

"If folks are giving me money, it's because they believe in me, and not because it would give them an edge," Cullison said.

Sen. Brian E. Frosh had not spoken to her about the NEA position, but got a message that she was running.

"I think she is a good person, well versed in education, and she would probably make a good board member, but it's nothing that I have anything to do with," Frosh said.

"And it's a little awkward because they support me, they lobby me. I can't say I'd flat-out say no, but that'd I'd be hesitant to get involved."

Frosh (D-Dist.16) of Bethesda was asked to contribute to design and distribute the apple ballot for the 2006 election. "I said no because it would look like I was buying their endorsement, but they endorsed me anyway," he said.

Sen. Jennie M. Forehand hasn't spoken with Cullison, but has heard from others about her campaign. As for contributing to the fund, "I'm going to wait for her to ask me that," said Forehand (D-Dist. 17) of Rockville.

For some lawmakers the decision to give money came easily.

Retired teacher and union official Del. Charles E. Barkley contributed $1,000 to Cullison.

"I feel that Bonnie is trying to raise money, and I think she had to look in areas where money was available," he said. "I don't think it had anything to do with the [apple ballot]."

Barkley (D-Dist. 39) of Germantown served as the county teachers union vice president and treasurer before his time in Annapolis. He also served on the state teachers union board of directors.

Del. Kumar P. Barve (D-Dist. 17) of Gaithersburg contributed $250 after being contacted by Cullison in December and said he is "happily supporting her."

Sen. Nancy J. King said that Cullison asked her to contribute $1,000 to the campaign, which King expects to reduce to about $250.

"I'm going to need the money for my own campaign in 2010," said King (D-Dist. 39) of Montgomery Village.

Requests like Cullison's are par for the course in politics, said Ronald W. Walters, a political science professor at the University of Maryland, College Park.

"This is the business of politics. Elected officials are in the game of trading favors, of trading political support," Walters said.

"I would be surprised if they weren't asked to support a person financially. If politicians have a relationship with the unions, why not get involved?"

Walters said it would be "silly" for lawmakers to feel pressured by a request for money.

"If you feel pressured you probably were not going to support them in the first place, or you were trying to send out some kind of message not to support them," he said.

Several lawmakers contacted by The Gazette, including Dels. Craig L. Rice, Alfred C. Carr Jr., Luiz R.S. Simmons and Benjamin F. Kramer, either had not been contacted by Cullison or had no knowledge of her campaign.

Del. Jeff Waldstreicher (D-Dist. 18) of Kensington refused to discuss the matter. Sen. Robert J. Garagiola (D-Dist. 15) of Germantown was aware of Cullison's campaign, but declined comment before speaking with her.

Cullison took over as teachers union president in July 2003, after serving six years as the group's vice president. Before going to the union, Cullison worked for nearly 22 years in county schools, including with special education students.

When she was elected president more than five years ago, she told The Gazette that she wanted to motivate her membership and strengthen the union's role as a political powerhouse in Montgomery County.