NONPARTISAN ELECTION MATERIAL VOTERS GUIDE VOTERSLEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HOUSTON GUIDE E D U C A T I O N F UND N ovember 8 , 2 0 1 6 • General E le C tion • P olls O pen 7 A . M . to 7 P. M . Index About This Voters Guide CANDIDATE INFORMATION This Voters Guide lists candidates in contested races who are on the November 8, 2016, General Election ballot and provides their answers to policy questions posed by the League of Women Voters of Houston President of the United States ......................2-3 Education Fund. United States Representative ........................4-7 Railroad Commissioner ..................................8 Additional information can be accessed online at www.VOTE411.org, where voters can enter an address Texas Supreme Court .....................................9-11 and review races and ballot initiatives specific to that address. Texas law does not allow voters to access Court of Criminal Appeals .............................11-12 information or personal notes using electronic devices (such as mobile phones or tablets) while at the State Board of Education ..............................13 polling place. However, you may take printed or handwritten notes into the voting booth, including a State Senator ..................................................14 printed copy of this Guide. State Representative ......................................14-20 This Voters Guide is funded and published by the League of Women Voters of Houston Education Court of Appeals ............................................20-22 Fund. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable trust, dedicated to encouraging informed and active participation in District Court Judges .....................................23-35 government. The League of Women Voters never endorses or opposes any candidate or political party. District Attorney ..............................................35 Questionnaires are sent to candidates in races that are contested. Candidate replies are reproduced County Civil Court at Law ..............................36 exactly as submitted, without editing or verification. County Criminal Court ...................................36-37 County Attorney .............................................37 Sheriff ...............................................................38 Voter Identification: What to Take to the Polls County Tax Assessor-Collector ......................38-39 County School Trustee ...................................39 Notice of RequiRed ideNtificatioN • PRescRibed by texas secRetaRy of state County Commissioner ....................................40 A voter must show one of the following forms of acceptable photo identification at the polling Justice of the Peace .......................................40-42 location before the voter may be accepted for voting, unless the voter has a reasonable impediment Constable ........................................................42-44 to obtaining one of these forms of acceptable photo identification or the voter qualifies for one of Houston ISD Board of Education ..................45 the other exemptions identified below: Ballot Propositions .........................................45 • texas Driver’s License issued by the Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) GENERAL INFORMATION • texas election identification certificate issued by dPs; Useful Telephone Numbers & Websites ......5 • texas Personal identification card issued by dPs; Sample Ballot ..................................................46 • texas Handgun License issued by dPs; Early Voting Locations & Schedule ...............47 • united states Military identification card containing the person’s photograph; Membership Application ...............................48 • united states citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph; or Donors .............................................................48 • united states Passport. With the exception of the u.s. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 4 years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place. If a voter does not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo identification listed above, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS® OF HOUSTON EDUCATION FUND and the voter cannot reasonably obtain such identification, the voter has the right to execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present one of the following supporting documents: • valid voter registration certificate; • certified birth certificate (must be an original); • copy of or original current utility bill; • copy of or original bank statement; • copy of or original government check; • copy of or original paycheck; or • copy of or original other government document that displays your name and an address (though an original is required if it contains a photograph). View the full text from the Texas Secretary of State here. METRO offers free Throughout the online Voters rides to the polls! Guide, you will see active LOCAL BUS, METRO RAIL and METRO LIFT will take hyperlinks in this color. you to the polls at no charge on these days: Simply click for a direct • Saturday, October 29 (during the early voting period) link to the website or email • Friday, November 4 (last day of early voting) • Tuesday, November 8 (Election Day) address. Please phone 713-635-4000 for more information. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HOUSTON E D U C A T I O N F UND | N O V EMBER 8, 2016 VOTERS G UIDE | www . lwvh OUSTON.ORG 1 GENERAL ELECTION november 8, 2016 RACes & Candidates League of Women Voters Education Fund Approved Write-In Candidates for State of Texas Ground Rules for Presidential Candidate Responses • A listing of write-in candidates formally approved by the • All qualified presidential candidates were invited to provide biographical information and responses to five Texas Secretary of State in accordance with the Texas specific questions. Candidates qualified if they met the following criteria: 1. The candidate must have made a Election Code is available at www.VOTE411.org and public announcement of her/his intention to run for her/his Party’s nomination for President; 2. the candidate http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2016-writein- must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act's minimum contribution threshold requirements for presidential-certifications.pdf. qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the FEC website; and, 3) The candidate must qualify for the ballot in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes. • Responses were limited to 400 characters and were truncated thereafter. © 2016 by the League of Women Voters • If a candidate did not respond by the date of publication, “Candidate has not responded.” is printed. Education Fund PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES The following candidates qualified for the Texas ballot according to the Secretary of State. Salary: $400,000 per year | Term: Four years. Limit of two terms. How Elected: Every four years, political parties nominate candidates to run for President of the United States in a general election that is held on the first Tuesday, after the first Monday in November. Although all parties use conventions to nominate their candidates, in most states the Democratic and Republican parties also run state-wide primary elections or caucuses. The results of the primary influence how the delegates to their respective party’s convention will cast ballots for candidates for President. The degree to which the result of the primary influences the votes of delegates at conventions varies from state to state. Duties: The President is the head of state of the United States of America and is the Chief Executive Officer and the Commander in Chief of all military forces. The powers of the President are described in the Constitution and federal law. Subject to Senate approval, the President appoints the members of the Cabinet, ambassadors to other nations and the United Nations, Supreme Court Justices and federal judges. The President, along with the Cabinet and its agencies, is responsible for carrying out and enforcing the laws of the United States. The President may also recommend legislation to the United States Congress. Questions to Candidates provided a PERSONAL STATEMENT. PUBLIC EDUCATION: What should government do to provide an equitable, quality Candidates: public education for all children pre-K through grade 12? Candidates listed their TOP ThREE GOALS. INTERESTS ABROAD: What actions would you support the U.S. undertake to protect its ECONOMY: What will you do to support a vibrant economy across the U.S.? interests abroad? PAThwAY TO CITIZENSHIP: What, if any, actions will you support to create a pathway SOCIAL & RACIAL JUSTICE: What kinds of policies will you pursue to promote social to citizenship? and racial justice for all Americans? DonalD Trump • rep Personal Statement: The government of the US should be focused on serving leverage federal funds to dictate educational practices, curriculum and outcomes the people of this great nation, not special interests. The government now rules must be stopped. Control of K-12 education must be returned to parents and rather than governs. The American people want their government back and citizens locally. together we will make America great again. interests abroad: We are the leader of the free world - whether we like it or not Top Three Goals: secure our nation by restoring our leadership in the world; - and we must ensure we seek partners willing to make sure our national interests restore economic