NHFFE 2010 Candidates Report Cards

Candidates have been evaluated based upon their responses to the NHFFE Candidate Questionnaire and / or their Incumbent voting records. Endorsements may be given based upon either evaluation.

The NHFFE Candidate Questionnaire evaluates candidates based upon answers to 15 multiple choice questions. Each candidate is given 25 points for participating in the survey, plus the following points for each multiples choice question answer:

A) Yes, I would strongly sponsor or co-sponsor such legislation.        (6 points)

B) Yes, I would support such legislation.                                              (5 points)

C) Undecided, I would need to listen to the debate.                             (0 points)

D) No, I would oppose such legislation.                                               (-5 points)

Questionnaires were scored as follows:

100 or above               A+

90-99                           A

80-89                           B

70-79                           C

60-69                           D

59 or below                  F

Incumbent voting records were evaluated based upon four Education bills from the last session:

CACR 29, a parental rights amendment;

HB 368, a restrictive home education bill;

HB 1453, a parental notification bill; and

HB 1580, a bill restoring authority of parents instructing their children at home.

No penalty is given for an incumbent who was absent for a particular vote.  Incumbents were evaluated as follows:

            4 favorable votes with no absences earns the highest rating                            A+

            1-3 favorable vote(s), no unfavorable votes, but one or more absence             A

            1-3 favorable vote(s) and one unfavorable vote                                                 B

            1-2 favorable vote(s) and two unfavorable votes                                               C

            1 favorable vote and three unfavorable votes                                                    D

            1-4 unfavorable votes, with no redeeming favorable votes                                F

Candidates are endorsed by NHFFE with a B rating or higher.  No Incumbents were endorsed based on a single favorable vote for HB 368; over a thousand angry home schooling parents stormed the State House for that bill, encouraging even the most reluctant legislator to vote favorably;  “B-“ was given to such candidates unless additional favorable evidence was available.

Unless otherwise stated, ratings are listed based upon the NHFFE Candidate Questionnaire.  Some incumbents were endorsed on the Questionnaire responses, others on their voting record.  If an incumbent was endorsed based upon both their voting record and the Candidate Questionnaire, the higher of the two evaluations is posted in the NHFFE Report Card.  All incumbent voting records and Candidate Questionnaire responses can be found in the August 2010 Newsletter on the NH Families for Education website <www.NHFFE.org>.