Humane PA is pleased to present its recommendations for Pennsylvania state offices in the upcoming election on November 8th:
Humane PA 2016 Endorsements
In a statewide poll, 86 percent of Pennsylvania voters polled support their legislators’ efforts to ensure humane treatment of animals. Our aim is to make sure that Pennsylvania voters who care about the treatment of animals know which candidates will support a humane agenda and deserve their votes at the polls!
How do we chose who to endorse?
Before we endorse candidates, we give them the opportunity to let us know where they stand on animal cruelty so we can measure their responses and commitment to stand strong for the humane treatment of animals against their opponent(s). Our endorsement process is not taken lightly and we spend a great deal of time reviewing and evaluating an incumbent candidate’s voting record and leadership on animal bills. Priority is always given to an incumbent with a perfect record – we stand by our friends, particularly those who are committed leaders in the fight against cruelty.
We also ask every candidate – both incumbents and first time office seekers – to complete our endorsement survey as the survey responses are critical in determining which candidates will receive our endorsement. Our survey queries candidates on key pieces of pending animal legislation, both the bills that are easily supported as well as those that may face opposition. We also ask candidates to tell us about themselves, the role of animals in their lives and their feelings about how animals should be treated. If two non-incumbent candidates are equally qualified based on survey results, we conduct follow up calls, as well as consult with animal loving constituents in their districts who know them. All responses are kept strictly confidential, and allow us to evaluate the level of commitment a candidate has to helping protect Pennsylvania’s animals from cruel treatment.
This was a particularly challenging year, because although the Senate passed a number of animal bills, they were stalled in the House and the only bills that passed were unanimous giving us little to differentiate in the House. The surveys and records from last session were more heavily weighed.
The future of animal bills in our state does look brighter. Every year, the new candidates who are running for office for the first time have stronger commitment to humane issues, so as our legislature changes, there will be future opportunities to build a more humane legislature where it won’t be so challenging to get stronger laws passed.
We did not endorse in races where candidates did not respond to the survey unless it was an incumbent with a strong record of standing against animal-cruelty. *Please note, as a registered state political action committee, we only issue endorsements of candidates for state offices and make no endorsements for federal offices.
Our goal is for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be a kinder place for animals and for our legislature to pass appropriate laws to protect animals and eliminate cruelty. Thus, we encourage those who care deeply about these issues to consider and be guided by our endorsements, and to support candidates who will support a humane agenda. We thank all of the candidates who took the time to complete our survey. Good luck to all of our Humane PA Endorsed Candidates!
2016 Endorsements:
Humane PA 