Coalition Insists Guides Are ‘Non-Partisan’

Christian Coalition chapters in Washington and Idaho distributed thousands of candidate “scorecards” in 1994, and spokesmen for both groups say they plan to continue.

“One of the main things we do is educate voters,” said Bob Hoover of the coalition’s Ada County chapter in Boise.

“These are non-partisan, issues-oriented guides,” said Dave Welch, executive director of the coalition’s Washington chapter.

Typically, the coalition guide shows a candidate’s stands on issues described by a few words. A typical scorecard might list “homosexual rights,” “abortion on demand” and “banning ownership of legal firearms.” The candidates’ options are support, oppose or no response.

“If you’re a liberal Democrat and picked up the coalition’s guide, it should be very informative,” Welch said.

The Washington Christian Coalition distributed more than 900,000 voters guides in the state’s congressional elections two years ago, he said.

Those pamphlets said clearly they do not advocate the election or defeat of any candidate.

They also can provide some not-so-subtle help, such as in the 1994 Republican primary in southeastern Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. In that race, state Sen. Linda Smith was mounting a last-minute write-in campaign. The voters guide listed her responses and said Republican Paul Phillips, who was on the ballot, did not respond to the group’s survey. It explained how to cast a write-in ballot for Smith.

Smith won the primary, and ultimately the congressional seat.

The coalition was active in Eastern Washington’s 5th District race between George Nethercutt and Tom Foley. It placed voter guides on the windshields of cars parked in church lots during Sunday services, and called coalition members to urge them to vote.

“That’s not partisan,” said Welch. “There’s nothing wrong with reminding people to go vote.”

The Idaho coalition distributed voter guides in last May’s primary as well as both 1994 elections, Hoover said.

, DataTimes