STATE LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE SURVEY, 2001

 

Questionnaire

 


 

A. Before announcing your candidacy for the 2001 election, who were some people you consulted? 

           

B. For each of the groups listed below, indicate if they were not important, slightly important, moderately important, very important, or extremely important to your decision to run for office.

 

a. Support from family and friends

b. Support from your political party

c. Support from interest groups

d. Support from key voting groups in the district

e. Support from financial contributors

f. Decisions by others to get in or stay out of the race

C. Did the possibility of interest group spending on independent or issue advertising pay a role in your decision to seek office in 2001?

 

             No

             Yes

                  If Yes, Could you please explain the role it played? 

 

D. Did the configuration and makeup of the district following the redistricting play a role in your decision to run for office in 2001?

 

             No

             Yes

                  If Yes, Could you please explain the role it played? 

 

E. Is there anything or things you wished you could have spent MORE time on during the general election campaign? 

           

 No

             Yes

       If Yes, what? 

 

F. Is there anything or things you wished you could have spent LESS time on during the general election? 

 

             No

             Yes

                  If Yes, what? 

 

G. Overall, what do you believe is the most important factor that DETERS candidates from running for the legislature in your state? 

 

H. Returning to your campaign, what role did your ability to raise campaign funds affect your decision to seek office in 2001?

 

I. In your opinion, did you have sufficient funding to conduct your campaign?

           

 Yes

 No

                 If No, Could you please describe how this affected your campaign?

 

      If No, How much more would you have needed? 

 

J. If you believe the campaign finance system in your state has problems, could you tell me the ones that are most troubling? 

 


We would like to begin by asking you some questions about your most recent race for the legislature 
and the events leading up to your decision to run.

1a. When did you personally make the decision to become a candidate for the state legislature in 2001? Mark one.
 	 Within 2 months before nominations were decided
	 3-5 months before nominations were decided
	 6-12 months before nominations were decided
	 More than a year before nominations were decided

1b. When did you publicly declare your candidacy for the state legislature in 2001? Mark one.
	 Within 2 months before the filing deadline
	 3-5 months before the filing deadline
	 6-12 months before the filing deadline
	 More than a year before the filing deadline

1c. Before you announced your candidacy, did you discuss the matter with any of the following people or groups?
	Please mark all those with whom you discussed your possible candidacy.
		 Family
		 Co-Workers/Business partners
		 Friends and acquaintances in a service organization (Rotary, League of Women          
		   Voters, etc.) Please specify _______________________________
		 Friends and acquaintances from church
		 Friends and acquaintances in my neighborhood
		 Members of an association or organization other than a service organization 
		   (Associated General Contractors, etc.) Please specify _______________________
		 Officials in the local party
		 Officials in the state party
		 Local elected officials
		 Leaders in the state legislature
		 Other (Please specify) _________________________________________

1d. Before you announced your candidacy, were you approached and encouraged to run for office by any of the following?
	Please check all those who approached you about your possible candidacy.
		 Family
		 Co-Workers/Business partners
		 Friends and acquaintances in a service organization (Rotary, League of Women Voters, 
		    etc.) Please specify _______________________________
	      	 Friends and acquaintances from church
	     	 Friends and acquaintances in my neighborhood
		 Members of an association or organization other than a service organization 
		   (Associated General Contractors, etc.) Please specify _______________________
	      	 Officials in the local party
	      	 Officials in the state party
	      	 Local elected officials
	       	 Leaders in the state legislature
	       	 Other (Please specify) _________________________________________

1e. Which of the following statements most accurately describes your decision to run for legislative office? Mark one.
	 It was entirely my idea to run.
	 I had already thought of running when someone else encouraged me to run.
	 I had not seriously thought about running until someone else suggested it.

Next we want to ask you a few questions about the financial aspects of your campaign.

2a.  For each of the fundraising techniques listed below, indicate if it was used by your campaign.
	If it was used, indicate its level of usefulness in raising money. 

					    
		Telephone calls or letters to:
			Individuals you knew personally        		
			Individuals you did not know personally	
			Issue groups or their PACs 		
			Businesses or their PACs		
			Labor unions or their PACs 	

		Fundraising events:
			For invited guests    			
			For the general public			
			Fundraising through the internet		
			Other (Please specify)

2b. Of the following list of fundraising activities, which did your political party provide or arrange to assist you with?
	For each, we would like to know whether they provided this assistance
	only in the primary election, only in the general election, in both, or in neither.


		Lists of potential donors from the political party			       
		Lists of potential donors from labor or business interests in the district	      
		Lists of potential donors from interest groups in the district
		Lists of potential donors from outside the district			         
		Provided opportunities for you to meet interest groups/PAC leaders	         
		Provided money raised by the party	       
		Assisted in organizing fundraising events   

2c. How much time in the months preceding the primary election did you spend on the following activities? 

	Devising campaign strategy			
	Recruiting campaign workers and volunteers  
	Raising campaign funds			 
	Meeting with party leaders			
	Giving interviews		  		
	Meeting with interest groups		  	  
	Meeting with service organizations	

2d. How much time between the primary and the general election did you spend on the following activities?

	Devising campaign strategy			
	Recruiting campaign workers and volunteers    
	Raising campaign funds			
	Meeting with party leaders			
	Giving interviews				 
	Meeting with interest groups			  
	Meeting with service organizations		    

We now want to ask you some questions about your campaign organization and activities in 2001.

3a. Did you have a campaign manager, coordinator, or director?

		No (if "No", skip to 3b).
		Yes

		IF "YES", was this person      
		 Part-time, volunteer
		 Part-time, paid
		 Full-Time, volunteer
		 Full-time, paid

3b.  Did you hire a professional campaign consultant?

	 No (if "No," skip to 3c)
	 Yes:  _________ (How many?)

		IF "YES", please mark any and all of the services from the following list that the consultant(s) provided:
			 Polling			 Fieldwork and get-out-the-vote
			 Research		 Campaign management
			 Media Buys		 Other (specify) __________________
			 Strategy		 Other (specify)__________________
			 Message Development	 Other (specify)__________________
			 Fundraising		 Other (specify)__________________


3c. Was there any independent spending or issue advertising by interest groups directed 
       toward you or your opponent(s) in the 2001 election?

	 No (if "No", skip to 3d)
	 Yes…..IF "YES", was this spending (mark all that apply):
		  In support of your campaign
		  Against your campaign
		  In support of your opponent's campaign 
		  Against your opponent's campaign

3d. Which of the activities from the following list did you use in your 2001 campaign?  Mark all that apply.

	 Polling				 Newspaper advertising
	 Campaign mail			 Radio advertising
	 Telephone banks		 Television advertising (broadcast)
	 Voter registration drives		 Television advertising (cable)
	 Billboards			 Get-out-the-vote activities
	 Yard signs

3e. How did the length of the campaign season, from the start of your primary campaign through the 
       general election affect the following aspects of your campaign?

	For each area, indicate whether it helped, hurt or made no difference.

					
		Ability to obtain voter interest in your campaign			
		Ability to raise money
		Ability to attract and retain campaign workers			
		News media interest in your campaign			    
		Campaign momentum		     
 

We now want to ask you some general questions about the financing of elections.

4a. How much do you think the money you spent in the campaign helped in the following areas?	

	For each item on this list, do you think your campaign spending 
	helped a great deal, helped some, or made little to no difference.

		Name recognition among voters			
		Voter awareness of your issue positions		
		Voter awareness of your opponents' issue positions	  
		Turnout of supporters on election day		
		Coverage of campaign by mass media		
		Fundraising efforts					
		Your ability to determine the views of voters		


4b. Generally speaking, how important do you believe campaign spending is to other factors in
       affecting the outcome of state legislative elections?

	For each item on the following list, indicate if you think campaign spending is 
	just as important, less important, or more important than the item.

		Candidate image and personality		
		Issue positions of candidates		
		Endorsements				    
		Partisanship of voters in the district	  
		Campaign organization effort		   
		Support of key party leaders		
		Incumbent advantages			    
		Coverage in the local news		

4c. Do you believe that certain types of state legislative candidates are advantaged or disadvantaged under the
       current campaign finance laws in your state?

		Incumbents				
		Challengers to incumbents		
		Democrats					
		Republicans				
		Independent or Third Party candidates	
		African-American candidates		
		Hispanic-American candidates		
		Women candidates			
		Wealthy candidates			
		Candidates with low family incomes	
		Other:_______________________
		Other:_______________________

4d. Which of the following statements bests describes your views on the campaign finance system 
        presently used in your state?	 Mark only one.

	 It is broken and needs to be replaced by a completely new system.
	 It has problems and needs to be repaired.
	 It is basically sound the way it is and should not be changed.

4e. Which of the following statements best describes your views on the use of public funding for political campaigns?
       Mark only one.

	 I do not favor the use of public funding for campaigns.
	 I favor partial public funding for campaigns, but would allow some private contributions.
	 I favor total public funding for campaigns, and a ban on private contributions.

4f. Generally, how difficult was it to comply with your state's regulations on fundraising and reporting? Mark only one.
	 Extremely difficult
	 Somewhat difficult
	 Not difficult at all


Next we want to ask you a few questions about your background in politics.

5a. How active have you been in your party's campaigns for each of the following offices during the past five years?
	Have you been not active, active, or very active?

		Federal office				
		Statewide office			
		State legislature				
		Local races				
		Others:_________________		
		Others:_________________		
		Others:_________________		


5b. Have you held any of the following party positions for the state legislature before?
Mark all that apply.	

	 Member of a local party committee
	 Member of a state or national party committee
	 Delegate to state or national party convention

5c. Before the 2001 election, had you ever run for the state legislature within the past five years? Mark only one.	
	.
	 No
	 Yes-primary only
	 Yes-general election
 
5d.Have you EVER held an APPOINTED office?

	 No
	 Yes, If YES, what types of office did you hold? Mark all that apply.
	       Local/County
	       Judgeship
	       Statewide office
	       Political party office

5e. Have you EVER held an ELECTIVE office?
	
	 No	
	 Yes, If YES, what types of office did you hold? Mark all that aply.
		 Local/County				
		 Judgeship		
		 Statewide Office			
		 Political Party Office

5f. Have you ever worked as a staff member in a legislator's office?

	 No								 
	 Yes. If YES, Was this state legislative, congressional, or both?
	       state legislative staff
	       congressional staff
	       both

5f. Prior to the election, how would you rate yourself on the following - high, fair, or low?
	Name recognition in the district		
	Ability to run a campaign			
	Public speaking abilities			
	Support from your party in the district	
	Support from your state party			
	Local fund-raising ability  			
	PAC fund-raising ability			
	Ability to fund own campaign			

We would like to finish the questionnaire by asking you some background information.
Please remember this information will be confidential.

6a. How long have you lived in the community that is now your home?

	 2 years or less
	 3-5 years
	 6-10 years
	 More than 10 years

6b. What is your gender? 	 Male		 Female			  

6c. In what year were you born? 	19___

6d. How would you describe your race or ethnicity? Mark only one.							
       	 Asian American		 Pacific Islander
      	 Black/African American	 White/Caucasian
      	 Hispanic American	 Other:__________

6e. What is your highest level of education? Mark only one.

	 Some high school		
	 High school graduate
	 College graduate
	 Some graduate school
	 Graduate degree	

6f. What is your religious preference? Mark only one.

	 Catholic	 Other: ______________
	 Protestant	 No Religious Preference			
	 Jewish

6g. What is your current marital status? Mark only one.

	 Never married		 Married
	 Divorced/separated	 Widow/widower


6h. Do you have any children living at home?

	 No
	 Yes, if "YES", How many?______

6i. Are you the primary caregiver for an adult in your home?

	 No
	 Yes

6j. What is your present occupation? ___________________________________

 
6k. Approximately, how far away from the state capital is your residence?

	 Within 30 miles
	 30-60 miles
	 61-120 miles
	 Over 120 miles

6l. What was your approximate family income last year-before taxes?

	 Under $30,000
	 $30,000-$49,999	
	 $50,000-$69,000
	 $70,000-$89,000
	 $90,000-$119,000
	 Over $120,000

6m. In general, how would you describe your political ideology?

	 Very conservative	
	 Conservative	
	 Moderate		
	 Liberal
	 Very liberal
	 Other:__________