Every election year, FACT has surveyed all the candidates running in contested state legislative races on key pro-family issues to create our Voter Guide so that you can be better informed about the candidates before you head to the polls. In 2016 for the General Election, we decided to also include uncontested races.

All Tennessee House and Tennessee Senate candidates in contested races were emailed or mailed a link to our first-ever online candidate voter guide form.

Our voter guides are searchable by both candidate name and district. Early voting begins October 19, and the General Election is November 8.

SURVEY QUESTIONS

Each state candidate running in a contested race was asked the following 14 survey questions covering issues like abortion, sexual orientation/gender identity, same-sex marriage, minimum wage, Title IX, marijuana, and more. For each survey question, the candidate had the option of answering either “Support,” “Oppose,” or “Undecided.” If a candidate did not answer any question in the survey portion of the form, the response for each question was marked as “Failed to answer.”

  1. Would you support or oppose legislation that would prohibit abortion except when necessary to prevent the death of the mother?
  2. Would you support or oppose legislation that would make sexual orientation a new protected class under Tennessee’s civil rights laws?
  3. Would you support or oppose legislation that would make gender identity/expression a new protected class under Tennessee’s civil rights laws?
  4. Would you support or oppose a bill to amend Tennessee’s marriage statute to expressly authorize the issuance of marriage licenses to two people of the same sex?
  5. Would you support or oppose legislation that would establish a $15 per hour minimum wage in Tennessee?
  6. Do you support or oppose the proposition that a person should be allowed by law to use the bathroom or locker room that corresponds to the gender they identify with?
  7. Would you support or oppose a law creating the office of Solicitor General, a lawyer to serve as the state’s advocate in the court systems, to be appointed by the General Assembly?
  8. Do you support or oppose the U.S. Department of Justice redefining the word “sex” to also include gender identity for purposes of Title VII and Title IX?
  9. Would you support or oppose legislation, like Insure Tennessee, that would expand Medicaid coverage in TN beyond the Medicaid eligible population?
  10. Would you support or oppose legislation that would prohibit state courts or any local government from ordering a privately owned business to participate in activities associated with solemnization or celebration of a marriage through the provision of goods or services if participating would violate their beliefs regarding the nature of marriage?
  11. Do you support or oppose the legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  12. Would you support or oppose legislation to award all of Tennessee’s Electors in a presidential election to the Party of the candidate who wins the national popular vote?
  13. Do you support or oppose the legalization of horse racing tracks in Tennessee at which bets can be placed on races?
  14. Would you support or oppose a nominee to the TN Supreme Court if there is credible evidence that the nominee believes the state or federal Constitution should be viewed or interpreted as a “living” document?

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Candidates in contested races had the option of also answering five additional essay questions.  For each question that a candidate chose not to answer on this portion of the candidate voter guide form, the answer was marked “Chose not to answer.”

  1. Explain your view of state government’s role in relation to economic growth and/or job creation.
  2. Explain your views regarding the roles state government and parents have in elementary and secondary education.
  3. What is one of the most satisfying things you have ever done or accomplished and what made it so satisfying to you?
  4. What personal qualities or experiences do you think will best serve you in your role as a state legislator?
  5. What bill passed in the last General Assembly that you would have voted against and why, or what bill did not pass in the last General Assembly that you wish had passed and why?

For more information about how we surveyed candidates and about our Voter Guides in general, please visit the About Our Voter Guide section.