Updated Oct. 17 to include additional candidate responses
Washington, Oct. 11 – While the presidential election has taken up much of the news cycle, attention also is shifting to who will control the Senate. As such, RespectAbility has reached out to candidates running for Senate as well as Governor in the 2016 elections with the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.
Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as 11 candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle(22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) have responded so far, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community.
A recently released Pew poll shows that voters with disabilities span the political and demographic spectrum and can determine who wins the elections.
According to a new report from Rutgers University, 35.4 million people with disabilities will be eligible to vote in the November 2016 elections, representing close to one-sixth of the total electorate. That’s an increase of nearly 11 percent since 2008.
Just as Clinton has made this a part of her campaign, Republican Sen. Richard Burr in North Carolina also has made it central to his re-election effort, highlighting his work in support of the bi-partisan Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. This new law, which also was supported by Maryland Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen, creates new savings accounts for individuals with disabilities in order to pay for qualified disability expenses.
Key Senate race outcomes could be changed by outreach to the disability community, including the races in Maryland, North Carolina and Wisconsin, where at least one candidate in the race has enacted legislation that has impacted people with disabilities.
Since disability does not discriminate, voters with disabilities are every race, age, ethnic group, religion and gender. As the presidential election has become polarized around racial and ethnic lines, disability issues can create the difference between winning and losing.
This is the first time down-ballot candidates have been asked to complete a questionnaire about disability-related issues on such a wide scale. The answers to these questionnaires are being posted on The RespectAbility Report and being used for individualized state voter guides.
Below are links to detailed answers to the questionnaire. RespectAbility and The RespectAbility Report are nonpartisan and do not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.
| State | Gubernatorial Candidate | View Full Answers |
| Delaware | Colin Bonini (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBonini |
| Delaware | John Carney (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCarney |
| Missouri | Chris Koster (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteKoster |
| Montana | Steve Bullock (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBullock |
| Montana | Greg Gianforte (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteGianforte |
| New Hampshire (lost primary) |
Derek Dextraze (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteDextraze |
| Oregon | Bud Pierce (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVotePierce |
| Utah | Mike Weinholtz (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteWeinholtz |
| Vermont | Sue Minter (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteMinter |
| Vermont | Phil Scott (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteScott |
| Washington | Bill Bryant (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBryant |
| State | Senate Candidate | View Full Answers |
| Alabama | Ron Crumpton (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCrumpton |
| California | Kamala Harris (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteHarris |
| California | Loretta Sanchez (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteSanchez |
| Florida (lost primary) | Dwight Young (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteYoung |
| Hawaii | John Carroll (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCarroll |
| Illinois | Tammy Duckworth (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteDuckworth |
| Illinois | Mark Kirk (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteKirk |
| Kansas | Patrick Wiesner (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteWiesner |
| Louisiana | Foster Campell (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCampbell |
| Louisiana | Caroline Fayard (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteFayard |
| Louisiana | Abhay Patel (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVotePatel |
| Maryland | Kathy Szeliga (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteSzeliga |
| Maryland | Chris Van Hollen (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteVanHollen |
| Missouri | Jason Kander (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteKander |
| Nevada | Joe Heck (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteHeck |
| Nevada | Catherine Cortez Masto (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteMasto |
| New Hampshire | Kelly Ayotte (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteAyotte |
| New Hampshire | Maggie Hassan (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteHassan |
| North Carolina | Richard Burr (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBurr |
| North Carolina | Deborah Ross (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteRoss |
| Ohio | Joe DeMare (Green) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteDeMare |
| Oregon | Mark Callahan (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCallahan |
| Pennsylvania | Katie McGinty (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteMcGinty |
| South Dakota | Jay Williams (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteWilliams |
| Vermont | Patrick Leahy (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteLeahy |
| Wisconsin | Russ Feingold (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteFeingold |
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[…] Twenty-three other candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats, 13 Republicans) have responded so far, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
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[…] Twenty-three other candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats, 13 Republicans) have responded so far, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. On the presidential level, Democrat Hillary Clinton has completed the questionnaire while Republican Donald Trump has yet to do so. […]
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[…] Twenty-three candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats, 13 Republicans) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] The Importance of Down Ballot Elections for Disability Rights […]
[…] Twenty-three candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats, 13 Republicans) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-three candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats, 13 Republicans) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-three candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats, 13 Republicans) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] The Importance of Down Ballot Elections for Disability Rights […]
[…] The Importance of Down Ballot Elections for Disability Rights […]
[…] Twenty-four other candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (20 Democrats, 13 Republicans) have responded so far, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. On the presidential level, Democrat Hillary Clinton has completed the questionnaire while Republican Donald Trump has yet to do so. […]
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[…] Twenty-four additional candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (20 Democrats, 13 Republicans, 1 Green Party) have responded so far, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. On the presidential level, Democrat Hillary Clinton has completed the questionnaire while Republican Donald Trump has yet to do so. […]
[…] The Importance of Down Ballot Elections for Disability Rights […]
[…] The Importance of Down Ballot Elections for Disability Rights […]
[…] The Importance of Down Ballot Elections for Disability Rights […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Eleven candidates for governor, as well as 26 candidates for senate, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as 11 candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] Twenty-six candidates for Senate, as well as eleven candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (22 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. An additional nine candidates responded that they are not completing any questionnaires during this campaign season. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community. […]
[…] To read the full article and to gain access to the detailed answers to the questionnaires by State and Candidate go to the Questionnaire list at RespectAbilityReport.org […]