Candidate Endorsement Form

Florida Legislature

Welcome to SAVE's Candidate Endorsement Process. The following form is being distributed to candidates that have qualified to run for office in a race for which SAVE has decided to consider making an endorsement.

Founded in 1993, SAVE is known for its thorough endorsement process, which begins with a Panel of community members interviewing candidates for office. The Panel's recommendations are further vetted by our Endorsement Committee, and finally reach our Board of Directors for final decisions.

Only candidates whose demonstrated support of the issues important to the LGBTQ+ community will earn our endorsement. SAVE may also choose to support endorsed candidates on our voter guides and in some cases our field resources will be used to help turn out pro-equality voters to the polls in support of our endorsed candidates.

The Florida Commission on Human Rights currently has a non-permanent pathway forLGBTQ Floridians to file claims of discrimination. However, there is still a need to codify sexual orientation and gender identity into non-discrimination laws at the state and federal level. Do you support adding sexual orientation and gender identity to Florida’s Civil Rights Act and Florida’s Fair Housing Act?

Religious Refusal laws allow certain individuals and entities to by-pass non-discrimination laws and/or refuse to recognize same-sex marriages. Do you support or oppose Religious Refusal laws?

Florida continues to face a housing crisis especially for extremely low-income households (household income of less than $25,750). According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition there are only 28 affordable homes per 100 extreme low-income renter households.Furthermore, LGBTQ adult individuals are more than twice as likely to experience adult homelessness than there cis-gender, straight counterparts. As an elected official, what will do you to address the lack of low-income housing in South Florida?

Government reports have indicated that LGBTQ youth often have difficulties succeeding in educational settings and other aspects of life due to unique circumstances surrounding their sexual orientation and gender identity; such as: social isolation, harassment, violence, rejection by family, homelessness, high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, lack of role models, and an absence of adequate information about sexual orientation and gender identity.Social service organizations exist to address the needs of LGBTQ youth; however, funding is a serious issue. Would you support and advocate for state funding of 501c(3) social service organizations working to assist disadvantaged LGBTQ youth in your district and all of Florida?

Throughout the history of the United States, beginning with slavery, there is a long history of racial injustice that continues to present day. This racial injustice has caused large health, economic, criminal justice (including police brutality), and social disparities for BlackAmericans and African 4Americans. Many members of the LGBTQ community are also Black or African American. What would you do as an elected official to address racial injustice?

Over the years, there have been multiple bills filed at the state level impacting the LGBTQ community. Some have become law, and some have not. Please indicate below your support or opposition to these bills and explain in the corresponding text box why or why not.

2020 – HB 41 / SB 180: Prohibit Conversion Therapy

2021 – HB 1475 / SB 2012: Sex-specific Student Athletic Teams or Sports

2015 – HB 583 / SB 1464: Single-Sex Public Facilities

2022 – HB 111 / SB 308: Offenses Evidencing Prejudice

2022 – HB 205 / SB 374: Gay and Transgender Panic Legal Defenses

2022 – HB 249 / SB 456: Driver License and Identification Card Gender Designation

2022 – HB 813 / SB 1074: HIV Prevention Justice Act

2022 – HB 1557 / SB 1834: Parental Rights in Education

2019 - HB 485 / SB 430: Florida Competitive Workforce Act (FCWA)

LGBTQ people come from all walks of life and thus are not single-issue people or voters. Many issues, such as equal pay for women, immigration policy, health and mental healthcare, etc., have a disproportionate impact on the LGBTQ community. What is an issue that you have championed in the past that intersects with the LGBTQ community? What have you done to champion that issue?

Several anti-LGBTQ hate groups, such as the Christian Family Coalition, also engage in an endorsement process. It is the policy of SAVE Action PAC not to endorse any candidate receiving the endorsement or recommendation of an anti-LGBTQ group. Have you completed a questionnaire from the Christian Family Coalition, Family Research Council,Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, American Family Coalition or similar groups?

If asked by such groups or like-minded groups to complete a questionnaire would you complete such a questionnaire?

Once again, we thank you for responding to this questionnaire.  We appreciate your time and attention. Please read and sign the certification statement below before submitting the completed questionnaire to SAVE Action PAC.

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I certify that the answers to the above questions accurately reflect my personal positions on the issues addressed.  

I further certify that I have not, or will not, respond to the same questions contained in this questionnaire in a different fashion, if the same questions are presented by another group from which I am seeking an endorsement.

In pledging not to use SAVE Action PAC’s endorsement in a negative fashion, I recognize that SAVE Action PAC reserves the right to use this signed statement in any fashion deemed appropriate by SAVE Action PAC, specifically including, but not limited to, submission of a grievance with the Division of Elections, should I or my campaign engage in any negative use of the questionnaire submitted by an opponent and/or the endorsement made by SAVE Action PAC.

Reminders: By submitting this form, you agree that the information provided is accurate and truthful to the best of your knowledge. Please provide relevant and accurate information to support the cause.