Idaho State Sen. Shawn Keough isn’t afraid to take an unpopular stand.

During the 2001 Legislature, the Sandpoint Republican brought the Senate to a halt by using a procedural move to protest unilateral leadership actions in a lawsuit over inadequate school buildings. No more work was done until Republicans met in caucus to address Keough’s concerns.

Keough’s courageous, and she’s usually right.

However, she has misfired during her re-election campaign by deciding not to fill out candidate questionnaires from special-interest groups. Her position is somewhat understandable. Candidates for higher office are bombarded with surveys seemingly from every organization that has a lobbyist. It takes time to fill them out. Some have leading questions.

Candidates shouldn’t feel obligated to fill out all questionnaires; they don’t have time. But they owe their constituents a good-faith effort to fill out ones from local groups or groups with local members – and Project Vote Smart.

Social conservatives as well as progressives within Keough’s Senate District 1 have a right to know where she stands on abortion, gay rights and school vouchers. Educators should expect answers to questions about class size, education spending, alternative schools and safe buildings. Unionists should expect to be told about her positions on Idaho’s right-to-work law, minimum wage and mandatory union dues.

It’s human nature for candidates to ignore organizations that won’t support their candidacies or those fishing for unrealistic promises, especially those from out of state. But Keough should reconsider Project Vote Smart, a nonpartisan effort started in 1992 to gather biographies, vote histories, campaign finance data, public statements and policy positions. Current and former board members include Barry Goldwater, George McGovern, Patricia Schroeder and Newt Gingrich.

Few questionnaires are as fair or provide as much pertinent information about candidates.

Jim Ramsey, Keough’s Democrat opponent, has filled out his Project Vote Smart survey. Senate District 1 voters can go online ( www.vote-smart.org) and find out where he stands on abortion, taxes, crime, education, environment, guns and welfare. They don’t have to be part of a special-interest group to find out his interest group rating or read his financial report.

Seven of 11 candidates running for the state Senate in North Idaho have filled out this most important of questionnaires. Incumbent Republicans Joyce Broadsword, Mike Jorgenson and Keough, along with Senate District 2 Democrat challenger Steve Johnson, have not. Thirteen of 17 North Idaho candidates for the state House of Representatives have filled out the questionnaire. (Responses from Washington state candidates have not been posted yet.)

In an interview with The Spokesman-Review, Keough raised a good issue when she said Project Vote Smart has pestered her to the point of harassment in attempting to get her to fill out its survey. Candidates shouldn’t be subjected to such pressure from any organization. However, Keough and others who have failed to respond to Project Vote Smart should learn more about the respected organization and the role questionnaires play in informing the public.