Democrats, Republicans can respond to issues on primary ballots

ASHBURN — When some voters head to the polls in a few weeks, they will have the chance to answer Yes or No to specific questions.

The state Democratic and state Republican parties pose these non-binding questions to voters. The results will help guide both parties and their legislative agendas. Nonpartisan voters will not get these questions. Also, Democrats will not get Republican questions and vice versa.

Here are the questions and explanations.

Democratic Questions

Should the United States remove obstacles to economic advancement by forgiving all student loan debt?

Federal-level student debt incurred when going to college or trade school stands at $1.61 trillion. This is federally guaranteed loan money only. Those in favor say forgiving the debt will help economically. They reason eliminating the debt will let these people have more money to spend or save. Those opposed say taxpayers should not write off debts for people who never graduated or used the student loans for vehicles, apartments and non-school-related expenses. The opposition also points to those who paid off their debt without help.

Should all Georgians have access to paid parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child?

As written, this applies to men and women, single parents and same-gender couples. The idea requires government and businesses to provide paid leave when welcoming a new member of the family. As posed, the question makes no exceptions for very small companies.

Should every 3- and 4-year-old in Georgia be given the opportunity to attend a high-quality preschool free of charge?

Georgia public preschool is done on a lottery basis. In some counties, public preschool has a waiting list. Preschool in Georgia includes pre-kindergarten and HeadStart as well as private preschool programs. The question does not say how to pay for preschool nor does it define “high-quality.”

Should Georgia voters have the right to gather signed petitions to directly place questions on the ballot, whether to change the law or poll the public?

Individual Georgians cannot put ballot initiatives in front of voters. Questions for the ballot have to come from the General Assembly or, as in this case, one of the political parties. Georgia is one of 24 states that does not allow citizen-led initiatives to get on the ballot, no matter how many signatures are obtained.

Should families earning less than $150,000 per year receive an expanded tax credit to help cover the costs of raising children?

It appears this question is aimed at families with children. As written, this appears to increase the tax deduction available for families with children.

Should the state of Georgia expand access to health care for over half a million Georgians by utilizing federal funds to expand Medicaid?

Georgia refused to expand Medicaid when the Affordable Care Act was approved. At the time, the federal government would pick up most of the cost at first. Over the following years, more of the costs shifted to the state. This is still the case. Georgia is one of 12 states that has not expanded Medicaid.

Should the state of Georgia expand voter access by increasing early voting opportunities, allowing same-day voter registration, removing obstacles to voting by mail, and installing secure ballot drop boxes, accessible at all times, through Election Day?

Georgia changed early voting and voting recently. Some of the changes made voting easier, such as allowing the elections superintendent to open new precincts for overcrowded areas. Some of the changes, which are not addressed by this question, irritated some voting rights advocates. Otherwise, this question is self-explanatory.

Should marijuana be legalized, taxed, and regulated in the same manner as alcohol for adults 21 years of age or older, with proceeds going toward education, infrastructure, and health care programs?

As more and more states legalize weed, Georgia is also grappling with the same question. Medical use is legal in the Peach State, but that is all. In a sign of what is coming, drug-detecting dogs are often not trained to find marijuana. The U.S. House of Representatives has twice approved a bill to make it legal. That bill died in the US Senate. Opposition to legal marijuana is generally found in older folks with younger people wanting it legalized.

Should the state of Georgia incentivize the development of clean, renewable energy sources to support America’s energy independence?

Incentivize can mean different things. It can mean tax credits or direct grants. Renewal energy is solar, wind and other non-consumptive power generating ideas. Georgia does get some power from electricity-generating dams along the Chattahoochee River.

Republican Questions

The Biden administration has stopped building the border wall, and illegal border crossings have dramatically increased. Should securing our border be a national priority?

President Trump started building a border wall with taxpayer funds, despite promising to make Mexico pay for the wall. President Biden stopped construction. Proponents say we must do more to stop illegal immigration. Opponents say the wall is a waste of money and won’t have a significant effect.

Education is the largest line item in the state budget. Should education dollars follow the student to the school that best fits their need, whether it is public, private, magnet, charter, virtual or homeschool?

In Georgia, public schools receive local, state and federal money for education. This question appears to discuss state money. Full Time Enrollment money is sent to public schools based on the number of children in the school and the education needs of the children. For instance, a special education student has a higher FTE weight and brings in more state education dollars than a student who is in honors classes. If the student does not attend a public school, the FTE money never leaves the state’s coffers.

Florida has passed a law to stop social media platforms from influencing political campaigns by censoring candidates. Should Georgia pass such a law to protect free speech in political campaigns?

This is a bill aimed at stopping companies like Facebook and Twitter from shutting down or eliminating accounts that support or oppose candidates for office and issues pending before elected leaders. The First Amendment to the Constitution prevents the government from shutting down free speech. At the same time, it allows private companies to decide what speech they will allow on their platforms and premises. In other words, freedom of the press belongs to the person who owns the press. Government cannot make a business provide open access to anyone with something to say.

Two of the three current federal work visa programs are lottery-based. Should federal work visas instead be issued on job skill?

Currently, most immigrants to the U.S. apply for a work visa. If their number gets picked, they are in, regardless of their work ability. If the visas are based on job skills, then immigrants have to prove they can do the job they want to come to the U.S. to do.

Biological males who identify as females have begun competing in female sports. Should schools in Georgia allow biological males to compete in female sports?

Transgender athletes are creating controversy in the sports world. The controversy is when these people decide to transition to female. Some feel the years of being male give these athletes an unfair advantage over born female athletes who compete as females. In most sports, men do outperform women, and male world records are typically more significant than women’s records.

To prevent ballot tampering, state law prohibits political operatives from handling absentee ballots once they have been marked by the voter. To protect the integrity of elections, should the enforcement of laws against ballot tampering be a priority?

This question asks if the state should more vigorously enforce laws already on the books.

Absentee drop boxes are vulnerable to illegal ballot trafficking. Should absentee ballot drop boxes be eliminated?

Georgia has absentee ballot boxes at polling locations. Anyone can drop a ballot into one of these boxes. Some feel this makes elections less secure and opens the door for fraud. Others say it opens voting to more people, especially those who do not have time to stand in line at the polls or otherwise do not want to enter the polling location and vote in person.

Crime has dramatically increased throughout the country including in our capital city of Atlanta. Should the citizens of residential areas like the Buckhead community of Atlanta be allowed to vote to create their own city governments and police departments?

This question is aimed specifically at Atlanta. Atlanta covers many neighborhoods, like the aforementioned Buckhead. This idea would split the capital city into smaller cities. Whatever is left of Atlanta would remain the state capital..

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