2018 MIDTERM VOTERS GUIDE VOTERS GUIDE | 1 2018 MIDTERM VOTERS GUIDE Dear Fellow Coloradans, Sorting through campaign rhetoric can be difficult and elections do have consequences. That’s why it is important to be informed on where the candidates stand on the issues facing you and your family. Exercising your right to vote can make a difference in the outcome of this election. It is critical that each of us remembers that our values and our vote determine our future. CFA Foundation has produced our well-known Voters’ Guide at coloradovotersguide.org to assist you in educating yourself prior to voting. In addition to the candidates covered in this guide, at coloradovotersguide.org, you will find: – How to locate your election districts. – Expanded comments that candidates wrote in response to the Voters’ Guide questions. – Links to candidate websites as provided to the Secretary of State. – Ability to download and personally print the Voters’ Guide in pdf format. – Links to check your voter information, register to vote and much more! You’ll see first-hand information that can help you choose elected officials that share the same values you do. Your one vote can make the difference and will affect your community, your family and the citizens of the State of Colorado. Be the difference, Debbie Chaves Executive Director, CFA Foundation ABOUT CFA FOUNDATION This guide is brought to you by CFA Foundation, a 501(C) (3) nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational organization. For more information visit our website at www.ColoradoAction.org or call 877-239-7355. 2 | VOTERS GUIDE 2018 MIDTERM VOTERS GUIDE WHICH RACES ARE COVERED IN THIS VOTERS’ GUIDE? respond to the questionnaire for their race. What we do know is that every candidate included in the Voters’ Guide had a fair and equal opportunity to respond. Candidates • Governor were contacted repeatedly by phone and email using the • Colorado Attorney General contact information they provided to the Colorado Secretary • Colorado Secretary of State of State and/or through their campaigns. We were able to • Colorado State Treasurer extend the deadline to respond so ample time was given • Colorado State Senate (General Assembly) to everyone. Responses were accepted online through • Colorado State House of Representatives (General coloradovotersguide.org. Assembly) • Colorado State Board of Education WHO PAID FOR THE VOTERS’ GUIDE? • University of Colorado Board of Regents Concerned Coloradans committed to an informed electorate VISIT COLORADOVOTERSGUIDE.COM TO FIND: and responsible citizenship contributed to the preparation and publication of this Voters’ Guide. No candidate or • Responses from various candidates to our survey political party paid for any part of this publication. questions • Any comments from the candidates regarding the survey SUPPORT THE VOTERS GUIDE questions presented • Contact information for the candidates • Free resources to download and share with your church This guide would not be possible without the generous and other concerned voters support of individuals around our state. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to continue this valuable work, you can call 877-239-7355 or donate online to CFA IS THE VOTERS GUIDE AFFILIATED WITH ANY POLITICAL Foundation at: ColoradoAction.org PARTY? CFA FOUNDATION VOTERS’ GUIDE DISTRIBUTION POLICY No. The Voters’ Guide is a nonpartisan, educational resource designed for voters who wish to educate themselves prior to In an effort to steward resources, CFA Foundation (CFAF) the upcoming election. has adopted the following policy for the distribution of our 2018 Voters’ Guide. CFAF will print 100,000 English guides, 25,000 Spanish guides, and provide a downloadable version ARE ANY CANDIDATES ENDORSED IN THE VOTERS GUIDE? for self printing if you so desire at: coloradovotersguide. org. We also provide downloadable fliers to promote No. No candidates are endorsed in this nonpartisan, the coloradovotersguide.org website where voters can educational resource. download a pdf version of the entire guide. Members of the public, churches, Christian bookstores, WHICH CANDIDATES ARE INCLUDED IN THE VOTERS’ Christian organizations, Christian radio stations and Candidates for Office: GUIDE? • Can print copies of the guide from the website at their own cost as long as the guide is printed in its entirety. For state races, all candidates who were nominated or • May not serve as CFAF’s representative to distribute selected by a Major Party (Democrat, Republican) of CFAF Voters’ Guide to churches and other locations. Colorado, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Political Party Directory (available at: https://www.sos.state. co.us/pubs/elections/vote/generalCandidates.html) were invited to participate. DISCLAIMER For General Assembly races, all Democrat and Republican candidates were invited to participate. Churches and other nonprofit organizations may distribute nonpartisan, unbiased, voter-education material without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. The questions asked of candidates in the 2018 WHY DID SOME CANDIDATES NOT RESPOND TO THE Voters’ Guide along with other aspects of the guide have been reviewed by outside attorneys to ensure they comply with the Internal Revenue VOTERS’ GUIDE QUESTIONNAIRE? Service rules for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Each organization that distributes this guide is responsible for its own actions. We do not know why some of the candidates failed to VOTERS GUIDE | 3 2018 MIDTERM VOTERS GUIDE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR [email protected] WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE VOTERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I am husband to my wife Jenna and father to my three young children, Craig, Coco and Olivia. I am a Christian and before ever running for office I was the CEO of a public company. It’s been an honor serve the people of Colorado as State Treasurer and I hope to earn your vote to be the next Governor of Colorado. HOW WOULD YOU ASSURE QUALIFIED PERSONS ARE APPOINTED TO REGULATORY POSITIONS AND COMMISSIONS? I will work with stakeholders and knowledgeable people across the spectrum of WALKER STAPLETON issues to ensure that we are getting talented people in important government positions. Further, we will make sure those serving in my administration are not only qualified but also have high moral integrity. [email protected] WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE VOTERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? CANDIDATE – DID NOT HOW WOULD YOU ASSURE QUALIFIED PERSONS ARE APPOINTED TO REGULATORY RESPOND POSITIONS AND COMMISSIONS? – JARED POLIS 4 | VOTERS GUIDE 2018 MIDTERM VOTERS GUIDE SURVEY ANSWERS BY GOVERNOR CANDIDATES D = Democratic R = Republican KEY TO S = Support O = Oppose U = Undecided – = Declined to Respond ANSWERS * and ** = answers and comments displayed at: www.coloradovotersguide.org Review candidate comments/notes/citations at www.coloradovotersguide.org. 1. Do you support or oppose the religious beliefs of a person being permitted to influence the decisions they make while serving in public office? 2. Do you support or oppose public funding, including Medicaid, for Planned Parenthood? 3. Do you support or oppose churches and other qualified religious organizations continuing to receive tax-exempt status? 4. Do you support or oppose increasing the advertising budget for the Colorado lottery in an effort to increase lottery ticket sales? 5. Do you support or oppose business owners being able to legally decline to use their artistic or creative talents to celebrate events that go against their personal beliefs? 6. Do you support or oppose the state of Colorado withholding funding to “Sanctuary Cities” that do not comply with federal immigration laws? GOVERNOR PARTY QUESTION # 1 2 3 4 5 6 Walker Stapleton R S * O S O S * S * Jared Polis D – – – – – – VOTERS GUIDE | 5 2018 MIDTERM VOTERS GUIDE CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY OF STATE [email protected] WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE VOTERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I am running for Secretary of State because I believe there’s extremely important work to do. I plan to ensure that every citizen’s right to vote is protected, expand automatic voter registration, stop dark money in Colorado elections, and bolster our cyber security to ensure the integrity of our voting systems. HOW DOES YOUR EXPERIENCE PREPARE YOU FOR THE DUTIES OF THIS OFFICE? I’ve worked on Colorado elections on multiple election cycles. I understand how elections work. I’m also an attorney and small business owner myself--I have my JENA GRISWOLD own legal practice. One of the reasons I’m running is to ensure that small businesses and entrepreneurs have the tools that they need and that government bureaucracy doesn’t stand in the way of their success. [email protected] WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE VOTERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? As Secretary of State, Wayne Williams has made Colorado #1 in nation in voter registration & safety of elections, lowest business fees, and top 4 in voter turnout. CO added 100,000 businesses with Wayne as Secretary. Endorsed by Democrat, Republican, & unaffiliated clerks. Wayne & his wife Holly have 4 children. HOW DOES YOUR EXPERIENCE PREPARE YOU FOR THE DUTIES OF THIS OFFICE? Only one who has run elections & only Certified Elections/Registration Administrator. Hired by both Democrats & Republicans to run elections. El Paso WAYNE WILLIAMS County Clerk, 2011-15. Small business owner. Washington Post: Colorado “safest state to cast a vote.” Gazette: “Wayne Williams leads country’s fairest election system.” 6 | VOTERS GUIDE 2018 MIDTERM VOTERS GUIDE SURVEY ANSWERS BY SECRETARY OF STATE CANDIDATES D = Democratic R = Republican KEY TO S = Support O = Oppose U = Undecided – = Declined to Respond ANSWERS * and ** = answers and comments displayed at: www.coloradovotersguide.org Review candidate comments/notes/citations at www.coloradovotersguide.org. 1. Do you support or oppose requiring a government issued ID in order to cast a vote? 2. Do you support or oppose mailing ballots to inactive voters? 3. Do you support or oppose citizens being able to propose laws through the current citizen initiative process? 4. Do you support or oppose churches and other qualified religious organizations continuing to receive tax-exempt status? 5.