Maine Right to Work
Candidate Survey

Why do I need to fill out a survey if I already have a voting record / filled it out last cycle / can just tell you that I'm pro-Right to Work?

NECRTW's candidate surveys are a vital ingredient for our voter education and mobilization program, and so we ask all candidates for relevant offices to return one each cycle. We try to make doing so as painless as reasonably possible -- the survey is only three questions long, and we will provide multiple copies, along with pre-stamped reply envelopes.

We will certainly use voting records, past survey results, and other resources to inform our evaluations of candidates, and in communication with our members. However, the candidate survey has two critical advantages:

1. The survey is a formal declaration to your constituents about your current intent for the upcoming legislative session. Some percentage of politicians inevitably change their mind on some issues at some times. Therefore, voting records or statements from months or years ago don't necessarily represent a candidate's current position, let alone make a specific claim regarding future behavior.

2. Our candidate surveys allow Right to Work supporters to directly compare and contrast all candidates on the issue -- even if not all of the candidates have voting records. If Candidate A has voted for Right to Work and returned their survey 100% pro-Right to Work, while Candidate B is a political newcomer that has declined to return survey, our members could reasonably conclude that Candidate A is more likely to be dependable on the issue. However, if Candidate A has voted for Right to Work, but not returned survey themself, then Candidate B's failure to return survey may not appear as inherently alarming.

What do you do with the results?

New England Citizens for Right to Work publishes and distributes district-level results directly to our members and other identified Right to Work supporters in the area. We will typically do this a variety of ways, primarily via postal mail. Survey results are published a series of times throughout the year, to ensure Right to Work supporters stay updated regarding any changes in results. Survey result publications are accompanied by information to further educate recipients on the benefits and importance of ending forced unionism.

Additionally, New England Citizens for Right to Work staff receive a number of inbound inquiries from Right to Work supporters across the state, seeking to find out more about their candidates' positions. Survey results, including "Additional Comments" where appropriate, are made available to Right to Work supporters in such circumstances.

Why is the Candidate Survey formatted or worded this way?

NECRTW attempts to make the survey as straightforward as possible -- so that candidates answering it, and Right to Work supporters receiving results, can understand things as quickly and easily as possible. Therefore, all questions are structured in a Yes/No format, such that "Yes" is always the pro-Right to Work answer.

Sometimes this can result in phrasing that appears convoluted at first, but the intent is to make things easier for everyone to understand -- not to ask trick questions. If we can help clarify any specific questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

I already filled out the 2026 Survey, but received another copy. Do I need to fill out this year's survey multiple times?

Filling out the Candidate Survey once per election cycle is perfectly sufficient, unless you intend to update your responses.

NECRTW attempts to confirm receipt with every candidate that submits a survey. If you have been notified that your survey has been processed, you can rest assured that you do not need to fill out the survey again, even if you receive another copy.

Please be aware that there is some lag time for us to receive your surveys, especially via postal mail, and then to process them. Therefore, it is possible that you could receive another copy of the Candidate Survey in the days after sending yours in, or even from an overly-enthusiastic Right to Work activist later in the year. If so, we apologize for the inconvenience -- once is enough. If you want to double-check your survey status, please don't hesitate to reach out.

I've learned more about the issue, misunderstood a question, or reconsidered my position after hearing from my intended constituents. Can I change my response?

Yes, Candidate Surveys can be updated at any time. You aren't alone -- every year we will receive multiple survey updates. Simply submit a new survey, and we will update our records. Please note that updates, just like original surveys, must be signed to be considered valid.

Please understand that there can be some lag time for us to receive new surveys and process them. It is possible that a publication will already be 'beyond the point of no return' in the production and distribution process at the time we receive your update. In such cases, we will make every effort to ensure that updated results are communicated to Right to Work supporters at the first opportunity.