Marriage And Family
1. In light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which asserted a federal constitutional right for same-sex couples to be married, Alaska should repeal Article 1, Section 25 of the Alaska Constitution, which states: “To be valid or recognized in this State, a marriage may exist only between one man and one woman.” Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
2. Do you support requiring public schools and other government buildings that maintain multi-occupancy locker rooms, showers, restrooms, and similar facilities to designate such facilities for use only by persons of the same sex, with “sex” being defined as the objective, biological condition of being female or male? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
3. Do you support permitting casino gambling in Alaska? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
4. The enactment of no-fault divorce laws, beginning in the 1970s, has contributed significantly to the decline in stable marriages and families. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
5. In circumstances where minor children are involved, divorce laws should be reformed to require mutual consent of both parents and an increased waiting period, unless there is fault or abuse. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
Sanctity Of Life
6. From the moment of conception, the preborn child has a fundamental, individual right to life that cannot be infringed, and deserves full legal protection at every stage of life until natural death. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
7. Please indicate which of the following statements most closely reflects your belief as to when the law should permit and/or prohibit abortion:
Response Options:
- Abortion should be legal for any reason, at any time during a pregnancy.
- Abortion should be legal for any reason, but not after the unborn child has reached 20 weeks gestation.
- Abortion should be legal for any reason, but not after the unborn child has reached 12 weeks gestation.
- Abortion should be illegal except when necessary to save the life of the mother, or when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest.
- Abortion should be illegal except when necessary to save the life of the mother.
- Abortion should be illegal in all circumstances.
- Other
8. Do you support a constitutional amendment that would clarify that the state constitution does not provide for a right to abortion or the right for public funding of abortion? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
9. Do you support a constitutional amendment that would protect the right of a parent to provide consent and/or receive notice before an abortion is performed on the parent’s minor child? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
10. Do you support eliminating state government funding of Planned Parenthood, and all other entities that either perform or promote abortions? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
11. Do you support prohibiting abortions of unborn children who are capable of experiencing pain (i.e., at 20 weeks or more after fertilization)? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
12. A private employer should not be forced by the government to violate his or her conscience through coercive insurance mandates that require coverage for abortions, abortifacient drugs, and contraception as part of employee health care plans. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
13. Alaska should prohibit the sale and trafficking in body parts/tissues from the bodies of aborted babies. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
14. Do you support the legalization of physician-assisted suicide in Alaska? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
Education
15. Do you support a state constitutional amendment that would allow parents and students to access required public funding for education and use these dollars to choose whatever educational option works best for the child, whether at a public school, private school, home school, or other educational setting? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
16. Organizations or businesses that perform or promote abortions should not be permitted to provide sex education instruction or materials in Alaska public schools. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
17. Public schools that offer gender-specific sports programs (e.g., girls’ basketball) should limit participation in such programs to students of the same biological sex, which is determined by anatomy and genetics at the time of birth. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
18. Abstinence is the only 100% effective method to prevent both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. If sex education is presented at a public school, abstinence-only sex education should be taught as the preferred method. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
Religious Liberty/Right Of Conscience
19. Across the U.S., laws banning discrimination based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” have led to conflicts with the religious liberty of churches, organizations and individuals who reject the ideological suppositions behind such policies. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
20. Alaska’s laws concerning discrimination should be amended to add special protected classes based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression.” Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
21. Do you support enacting a law to establish statewide uniformity in Alaska concerning protected categories under anti-discrimination statutes – i.e., local anti-discrimination laws could include only those protected classes that are already found in state anti-discrimination law? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
22. Do you support enacting a law that no employer, public accommodation, or other person shall be required or compelled to participate in any activity related to the solemnization, formation, or celebration of any marriage, when such participation would violate a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction that marriage can only be a union of one man and one woman? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
23. Faith-based child welfare and adoption organizations should be allowed to follow a policy of placing children only in households consisting of a married man or woman, and to decline to place children with same-sex couples. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
Judicial Reform
24. Do you support enacting a law that would prohibit the Alaska Judicial Council (AJC) from using public funds to campaign for or against judges or justices who appear on the ballot for retention elections? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
25. Do you support increasing the number of public, non-attorney members on the Alaska Judicial Council and to require the AJC’s attorney members to be confirmed by the Legislature (as is currently required of all the public members)? Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
26. The current process for selecting judges in Alaska is excellent and should not be changed. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
27. Alaska would be best served by a judicial selection process similar to what is provided at the federal level, in which the Governor could appoint any attorney who meets basic requirements defined by law, provided that the nominee is confirmed by the Legislature. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.
28. Alaska would be best served by a judicial selection process in which persons campaign for election to judicial offices, just as they do for the legislative and executive branches of government. Candidates were asked “Agree or Disagree”.