VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
The October 20, 2007 elections are here. The choice you make will affect your professional life. Do not think that we educators are not involved in politics. As long as the politicians make decisions that effect us, we must vote for candidates who will support us. The choice you make will impact the future of our profession for years to come. Voting is an absolute must!
To help you decide which candidates are truly going to deliver on the usual promise to support education, the Federation has gone through an endorsement process. The process is explained below. Check our website for the list of endorsed candidates — www.cftsp.com
It is to late to register to vote for this election, but you can get registered and vote in upcoming elections. The Federation has voter registration forms. Call 424-4579 and we will get one to you. Any questions — call the Federation.
Make sure that you fill out a new registration form if you have moved or changed your name.
What is the Federation’s Endorsement Process?
The Federation has a C.O.P.E. (Committee on Political Education). The C.O.P.E. Committee is composed of members of CFT/SP. The committee sends candidates a questionnaire and then interviews candidates. Endorsements are made when the committee feels that the candidate supports the same goals, concerns, and ideology as the Federation. The C.O.P.E Committee submits their recommendations to the CFT/SP Executive Board for approval.
Below is a list of criteria, that the Federation’s Executive Board approved, that the committee follows during the endorsement process:
1. Incumbency rule — those incumbents whose record has been in support of CFT/SP’s program and who initiated contact with CFT/SP for consideration of endorsement. The Federation wants to stand by candidates who have supported us in the past and pledge their continued support in the future.
2. Opposition to incumbent — those incumbents whose record is overwhelmingly in opposition to CFT/SP’s program. The Federation is always looking for “replacements” for candidates who consistently do not support education. We will support an opponent only if that opponent’s platform supports our ideology.
3. No endorsement — contest in which there are no incumbents involved or in which both candidates support CFT/SP’s program.
4. Endorse or Find Favorable — Only candidates that do not conflict with the position of any of CFT/SP’s ideology.
Caddo Federation of Teachers & Support Personnel
Political Endorsements 2007
LFT/CFT/SP endorsed candidates : Roy Burrell; Barbara Norton; Patrick Williams; B. L."Buddy" Shaw; Sherri Smith Cheek; Walter Lee
| State Representative, 2nd Representative District | |
|---|---|
| Roy A. Burrell, Democrat, Ballot # 53 | |
| State Representative, 3rd Representative District |
|---|
| Barbara Norton, Democrat, Ballot # 54 |
| State Representative, 4th Representative District |
|---|
| Patrick C. Williams, Democrat, Ballot # 54 |
| State Senator, 37th Senatorial District |
|---|
| B. L. "Buddy" Shaw, Republican, Ballot # 50 |
| State Senator, 38th Senatorial District |
|---|
| Sherri Smith Cheek, Republican, Ballot # 47 |
| BESE, District 4 | |
|---|---|
| Walter C. Lee, Democrat, Ballot # 36 | |
CFT/SP finds Favorable: Jane Smith; Henry Burns; Hilda Rives
| State Representative, 8th Representative District |
|---|
| Jane H. Smith, Republican, Ballot # 54 |
| State Representative, 9th Representative District | |
|---|---|
| Henry Burns, Republican, Ballot # 53 | |
| State Representative, 7th Representative District |
|---|
| Hilda Fair Rives, Democrat, Ballot # 57 |