FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Little Rock – On Tuesday, Family Council unveiled the 2014 Arkansas Voter’s Guide for the upcoming Preferential Primary Elections for Democratic and Republican candidates.
“We are pleased to offer these candidate survey results to the people of Arkansas,” said Family Council President Jerry Cox. “The Arkansas Voter’s Guide has been the state’s leading source for nonpartisan candidate information since 1990. We surveyed candidates for state and federal office. Eighty-four percent of the candidates with opposition in the May primaries chose to complete our survey this year. That’s one of the highest response rates we’ve ever had.
“We don’t endorse candidates or try to tell the People of Arkansas who they should vote for,” Cox said. “Our goal is simply to help voters of all political persuasions educate themselves ahead of the upcoming elections.”
Cox said the current guide focuses on candidates who have opponents within their own parties ahead of the May primary elections. “Right now you have Republicans and Democrats contending for their parties’ nominations, so that’s who we surveyed—Republicans and Democrats who will be opposed in next month’s election. This fall we will release an expanded guide that highlights every candidate with an opponent, including many independent and third-party candidates.”
Cox said this year’s Arkansas Voter’s Guide survey gave candidates five statements, and asked each candidate to indicate whether he or she supports the statement, opposes the statement, or is undecided about the statement. Candidates were also given the option to clarify their answers with written comments. “We surveyed candidates on a variety of issues. We asked candidates for federal offices about abortion, same-sex marriage, Obamacare, balancing the federal budget, and building the Keystone XL pipeline. We asked candidates for statewide and legislative offices about abortion, medical marijuana, the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the open carry of firearms, and the Medicaid expansion passed by the Arkansas Legislature in 2013.”
Cox said Arkansans can see the 2014 Arkansas Voter’s Guide by going to www.ArkansasVotersGuide.com. Printed versions of the guide are also available free of charge by calling Family Council at (501) 375-7000.
Cox said he hopes voters will take advantage of his organization’s voter’s guide. “Elected officials serve at the pleasure of the people. When someone files for office, it’s like they are applying for a job. This is an opportunity for voters to learn a little more about the candidates who are applying to work for them, and I hope they will take advantage of it.”
Family Council is a conservative education and research organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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