I cannot find myself able to morally justify the ending of a human life intentionally. Through the multiple scenarios that can be said as what if, the circumstances surrounding these situations still will carry a lifetime of guilt and doubt no matter the outcome.

Strongly Agree

I have a hard time supporting Planned Parenthood funding (which was founded on the principle of prevention, not abortion) when we do not provide funding for families that are trying to adopt. Adoption costs can skyrocket to well over 6 figures for couples who wish to have a family making this nearly impossible for many people. Yet we can fund programs that take the lives of children that could be given a chance to survive and thrive with a loving family.

Strongly Disagree

With my upbringing I cannot support this. Growing up Catholic and attending parochial school, you learn that suicides are one of the ways to be denied entrance to the afterlife. Further suicides were not allowed to be given a funeral through traditional Catholic teachings. But beyond that even the ten commandments state "Thou Shalt not Kill". We need to be more pro-active in finding ways to heal the body versus supporting ways to destroy a life which affects the lives around that individual.

Strongly Disagree

To require individuals or business owners to provide services that go directly against their moral and or religious beliefs can quickly create an atmosphere of total government control. A business does have the right to refuse service as long as it is not discriminatory or in violation as defined in the Civil Liberties Act of 1964 or NDCC 14-02.4. To refuse service based solely on protected class defined in U.S. Code Title 42, creates a window of legal liability and opens them to litigation.

Under no reasonable non-legal circumstance should a government be allowed to close a church. For example, in North Dakota, the original drafted Executive Order 2020-06, released March 19th, 2020, stated. "Whereas, based on the rapidly changing circumstances in this State, it is necessary to limit the movement of individuals in the State, and control the occupancy and use of buildings and premises, as well as non-essential congregate settings to respond to the threat to public health and safety, in response to COVID-19 crisis". It was through the use of the term "congregate" settings that the illusion was created for closing down churches. This was further enforced through the ND Smart Restart Guidelines trying to limit capacity on Congregate events based on the conditions within the state. Even through this they still used the terminology of "should" or "strongly advised" they could not directly close religious houses of worship. But it was the pastors of the churches that chose to close their doors during the Covid and not the State. The argument for the lack of the ability to close a church is even further supported by Article I Section 3 of the North Dakota Constitution which states "The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference shall be forever guaranteed in this state, and no person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness or juror on account of his opinion on matters of religious belief; but the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this state." Additionally, even within North Dakota Century Code section 23-01-05(12)(d) Health officer - Qualifications, salary, term, duties. (Effective through August 31, 2022) it states Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an order issued pursuant to this subsection may not: (1) Substantially burden a person's exercise of religion unless the order is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest; (2) Treat religious conduct more restrictively than any secular conduct of reasonably comparable risk, unless the government demonstrates through clear and convincing scientific evidence that a particular religious activity poses an extraordinary health risk; or (3) Treat religious conduct more restrictively than comparable secular conduct because of alleged economic need or benefit. The only true reasonable exception to this would be in the event of a specific religious organization that intentionally promotes events that would inflict upon another person intentional bodily harm against that persons' will, or to willfully carry out fraudulent or deceitful acts that deemed illegal either through Federal or State law. Even in this event the burden of proof would lie upon the Judicial Branch of the Government and not the Executive or Legislative Branch to to pursue those matters in court.

There are so many different threats to our country at the moment from both external and internal influences to be single minded in focus to one particular group leaves room for others to intrude and succeed.

Choose not to answer

C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. While this is the statement I mostly agree with as the services provided are to help with our elderly, I believe that they need to be drastically overhauled as there is too large of a window for abuse of both State and Federally awarded funding. There needs to be more accountabilities put into place not only for the care facilities that largely collect these funds, but also the health care providers, and the pharmaceutical companies that provide essential medications to these systems. In the current state there is too great of a window for greed and fraud, while the people this system was designed to help are not given adequate care in some places. The fact that if a care facility is found negligent in action, they merely receive a fine or citation, it does not fully address this behavior. Yet again this is a Department that is run by appointment, not election and therefore the accountability is not adequate.

There are not any circumstances under which a vaccination should be mandatory or required with in the United States that would circumvent exemptions that are granted or could inhibit a person's ability to enjoy the liberties granted by the United States Constitution. The North Dakota Constitution Article I Section I reads; 'All individuals are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty; acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation; pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness; and to keep and bear arms for the defense of their person, family, property, and the state, and for lawful hunting, recreational, and other lawful purposes, which shall not be infringed.' The 14th Amendment Section I of the United States reads; 'All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.' Further according to North Dakota Century Codes such as 23-07-17.1 (3). Inoculation required before admission to school. (Effective through August 31, 2022) Any minor child, through the child's parent or guardian, may submit to the institution authorities either a certificate from a licensed physician stating that the physical condition of the child is such that immunization would endanger the life or health of the child or a certificate signed by the child's parent or guardian whose religious, philosophical, or moral beliefs are opposed to such immunization. The minor child is then exempt from the provisions of this section. With this simply as starting point of discussion it shows a very defined pattern that a unilaterally required or mandated vaccination is beyond the scope of Government control. Even in the event of Global Travel the vaccinations that may be required are required by the country that you are traveling to not, by the United States in order to leave. The more alarming fact that the North Dakota Legislators had to enact laws, while temporary, to stop mandatory vaccination or vaccination identification cards in November 2021 in response to a move from the North Dakota Department of Health should be more publicly aware. NDCC 23-12-20. COVID-19 vaccination and infection information. (Repealed effective August 1, 2023), will need to be further addressed by the next legislative session. This is another situation in which a Government Department, led by an unelected official, tried to circumvent laws that are in place to protect the freedoms of North Dakotans and United States citizens.

The state tax code could stand a serious re-evaluation as to how revenue is generated, particularly property tax used for funding in our schools, amongst other things. The North Dakota Constitution Article VIII Section 2 states; 'The legislative assembly shall provide for a uniform system of free public schools throughout the state, beginning with the primary and extending through all grades up to and including schools of higher education, except that the legislative assembly may authorize tuition, fees and service charges to assist in the financing of public schools of higher education.'. With the amount of revenue that North Dakota generates through other avenues including sales tax, funds from the school lands, and the money generated from the Bakken oil fields to name a few, the legislative assembly along with other departments throughout the state need to do a true cost assessment. The people of North Dakota already feel heavily over-taxed and with the current atmosphere in our country, they feel like they are not being truly represented. A super majority Republican led state should be finding ways to cut costs, while still providing improved services across the board. To continue on the path we currently travel, it will reach a point where the 'American Dream' is no longer sustainable in North Dakota. Article X Section 1 states; ' The legislative assembly shall be prohibited from raising revenue to defray the expenses of the state through the levying of a tax on the assessed value of real or personal property.' Which further supports this conversation to conduct a thorough and true inspection to the costs and funds spent by the state.

We need to look at our how funds are spent in great detail. With how much is spent within North Dakota just between Heatlh and Human Service and Department of Education costs at nearly 2/3 of our annual budget, I feel that there needs to be a true evaluation of how these funds are spent and if there is a way to improve service and still reduce costs.

Strongly Disagree

Please refer to the response under question one, as I have put a lot of thought into better avenues to pursue in regard to proper funding of the North Dakota education system. Alas those thoughts to some extent will need to be addressed by the Legislative Assembly as they have the ultimate say in this matter, and as the Secretary of State is an Executive Position this particular subject will not be entirely in my realm of work outside of the School Land Board and Legacy Fund Expenditures.

Choose not to answer

An individual or family that come to the United States in pursuit of a better life that go through all the legal steps in order to become lawful citizens of this country.

Strongly Agree

With the current atmosphere surrounding our school system in North Dakota, many parents are looking beyond what is traditional public schools. That being said, with the increase in home school parents as well as private and parochial school attendance, the system needs to be adjusted to provide assistance or credit in these situations. The parents of these children are still paying property tax, which a portion goes to fund the public school system, yet they do not see any return on their taxes.

Neutral

There are too many variables that need to be taken into account in each situation to provide a fair answer in response to this question. The Judicial Branch of the government is charged with interpreting the laws and therefore while Law Enforcement, as well as the Secretary of State, and Governor are part of the Executive Branch, and their job is to execute the law. To circumvent due process would be a plain example of overreach from one branch over another.

Strongly Disagree

With how much of the budget for the state of North Dakota already goes to the Department of Health and Human Service, I feel that we need to not only review those totals but also evaluate where and how that money is spent in detail. Our State Highway Patrol, Sheriff's Departments, and Local Police Departments already have enough on their plates regarding the rise in drugs entering our borders that cutting their budgets would be detrimental to the protection of honest citizens across the state.

There already is already a checks and balances system put into place regarding gun ownership for a law-abiding citizen and there are very clear definitions in both the United States Constitution as well as the North Dakota Constitution to protect those rights. + North Dakota Article I Section I clearly states "All individuals are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty; acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation; pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness; and to keep and bear arms for the defense of their person, family, property, and the state, and for lawful hunting, recreational, and other lawful purposes, which shall not be infringed" Any restriction would only prevent a lawful citizen to exercising their rights. A criminal will always find a way to come into a possession of a weapon.

Strongly Disagree

The individual that enacted the gun violence is the person responsible not the manufacturers, or gun dealers.

The purpose of the government is to sustain and protect the rights of all citizens as laid out by the United States Constitution as well as the North Dakota Constitution. It is to be limited in power to prevent the decisions of few from creating a system of control over all people within a country, a state or even a township. It is why there are three essential branches to balance the power of each branch so that no entity can overpower the other, as a failsafe citizen to protect the people. It is why even in North Dakota Century Code under chapter 37-17.1 (EMERGENCY SERVICES) there is a clause in related to the Governor's powers 37-17.1-05(03) that states "the legislative assembly by concurrent resolution may terminate, extend, or modify the state of disaster or emergency" to prevent the Executive Branch from creating an overreach of power. This statement is supported even more as the country defers the power to each state and at a state level a township is recognized as one of the most power institutions for decision making on a local level. This is why it is important for all citizens to be involved and aware what is truly going on within their own communities because it is the first place that they can affect change. We have witnessed locally and nationally what happens once the citizens are silenced over the last few years and have witnessed the loss of freedoms through mandates designed to be a one size fits all cure.

Very Conservative

Growing up with a rural upbringing, you learn the value of making decisions based on a firm belief of what is right and what is wrong. I am very firm in my decisions and will reflect before I speak or respond. I also will not speak to something unless I can verify it as fact. More so my priorities in life follow the order of My Faith, My Family, My State, and My Country, because without faith you are alone even with your family around you.

I have never been an elected official, therefore providing information as to interviews are only those that I have recently conducted. I am a quiet family man and other than a string of City Council, County Commission, and School Board meetings in September and October of 2020 there is not much beyond that.

I have never been implicated, charged, or convicted anything listed above.

I am running for Secretary of State which is part of the Executive Branch of Government. With that said I intend to work with legislators to ensure the bills they bring forward do not hinder the citizens of North Dakota in any way from exercising the rights granted to them through both the United States Constitution as well as the North Dakota Constitution. I will fight adamantly against any piece of legislation designed to distort or corrupt those freedoms.

Strongly Agree

The inclusiveness that comes with true Christianity cannot be ignored. Jesus, who is historically recognized for his works, spoke and taught to all regardless if they were the same faith as him, and through compassion and kindness proved there is another way beyond hate and fear. With that being said, one should not use their faith as a means to manipulate others, but as a tool to help them assess the matter at hand and voice clear and concise thoughts and vote with pure intentions.

Strongly Disagree

The current culture regarding gender identity is being pushed upon children at an age when a child does not fully comprehend what it is to be the gender they were born as. It has even made its way into children's programming at an alarming rate over the last few years, with the current debacle surrounding Disney being a prime example. There is inadequate research into what future issues this could have a child's psyche much less on those who currently live this lifestyle as an adult.

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

Critical Race Theory is illegal to teach in North Dakota. 15.1-21-05.1. Curriculum - Critical race theory - Prohibited. Each school district and public school shall ensure instruction of its curriculum is factual, objective, and aligned to the kindergarten through grade twelve state content standards. A school district or public school may not include instruction relating to critical race theory in any portion of the district's required curriculum under sections 15.1-21-01 or 15.1-21-02.

I was raised Catholic and graduated through a Catholic High School. I have had a long journey with faith over the years that has encompassed many Christian Denominations. My journey with faith has been long and at times greatly tested, yet I still stand strong by my beliefs as they are an essential part of who I am. I am a conservative Christian and try my best every day to strive to be a better person, not only for myself but for my family and my community.

Strongly Disagree

Because of the list provided to the Secretary of State's office of eligible voters throughout the state from the North Dakota Department of Motor Vehicles, at minimum a photo ID is essential in confirming a citizen's address and identity to assure they are at the right polling location, as well as who they say they are. Without that it becomes problematic to ensure that they vote is truly theirs and they are a legal resident of the precinct in which they are voting.

At this moment the election system needs to be revamped and re-evaluated to remove any doubt that the citizens of North Dakota have. For the time being this would mean moving back to paper ballots and hand counts because there is concern coming from every corner of the state regarding the current system that is in place. There are multiple lines in current century code that need to be addressed, and further there is past legislation that needs to re-evaluated and assessed for possible repeal regarding elections as well as the power of county auditors and the canvassing board to ensure that all candidates have fair representation at the polls.

As part of the first generation to attend non-segregated schools from Kindergarten through College we grew up not judging someone based on their cultures, skin color, or upbringing. It pains me to watch how our country has devolved to its current state and how the major media outlets automatically go to the levels they do. As a country we need to step back from this line of thinking and learn to treat each other with the same amount of respect that we expect to be treated based on who we are as an individual as well as the actions that we take as a person. Until this first and very essential step can be achieved this will remain a constant problem within our society.

Strongly Disagree

Neither of these necessary represent my view when it comes to regulations. As technology has advanced the impact from fossil fuel production and usage has improved bringing us to a point where the coal industry is providing its cleanest output in history. Petroleum based products and byproducts are part of our daily lives as well, so it is not like these resources are going to suddenly cease to be used. So as our reliance on fossil fuels is still and essential part of our daily lives, there is still a need to make sure that the environmental laws and processes are in place to decrease environmental impact in the event of a spill that contaminates the soil, air, or water supply as that can be detrimental our state for an unforeseeable amount of time. Even in the hydroelectric as well as solar and wind generated energy there is still environment impact to the creation and decommissioning of the equipment that is used to capture these types of energy and needs to be regulated to the same extent. Electric cars still rely on natural resources to be mined just to create the batteries that they use and the fact that we have not developed a sufficient way for them to recharge and maintain their charge while they are being driven still means they need to be manually charged upon arrival at destination. Further if a vehicle that is electric has to have its batteries replaced there are still lengthy regulations that need to be followed for proper disposal of that unit. To a point environmental law is necessary to ensure we are proper stewards to future generations, but stricter laws will not achieve this if they are not followed, nor if the companies that these impacts do not find better solutions on their own instead of being forced into a situation that directly affects their business in an adverse way.

Strongly Agree

Fracking in North Dakota is an essential part of our state's infrastructure.