About Candidate Endorsements:
Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes endorses candidates and works to elect lawmakers who will support comprehensive sexual health education, reproductive health, racial and gender equity policies, and legislation. PPGPV is a non‐partisan organization that endorses and partners with candidates and elected officials who support a full range of reproductive care and human rights regardless of political party or affiliation.
Endorsement Process
For candidates running in the General election in the PPGPV service region, you may complete the following online questionnaire.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes and its advocacy arm, Planned Parenthood Great Plains. With a four-state footprint (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma), PPGPV prioritizes local candidate endorsements in races with jurisdiction over PPGP health centers and services.
Want to know if your race is eligible for endorsement? We currently endorse for state legislative and executive state offices. We are looking forward to broadening our reach into local government, PPGPV will endorse school board, city council, county commission or supervisorial district, district attorney and sheriff in communities with a PPGP health center in 2023. You can view the service area maps here to confirm if your race is eligible.
If you are running for office in a special district or in a community without a PPGP health center, you are still welcome to participate in the candidate questionnaire to illustrate your support. You will then be permitted to use your score in your campaign materials; however, only endorsed candidates are approved to use the PPGP logo in their collateral. All candidates who participate in the questionnaire will be included in the PPGPV voter guide.
General Candidate Questionnaire
All questionnaires need to be completed by midnight September 15, 2023. General election candidates will be interviewed as needed between September 19 – September 26. Endorsements will be made available through our online PPGPV Voter Guide beginning September 26. PPGPV will consider candidates for early endorsement on a case-by-case basis.
Committee Review: Candidate questionnaires are reviewed and scored by PPGPV staff. Only candidates with a 100% score on the questionnaire will be considered for endorsement. While a 100% score is required for consideration, the Board will also consider candidate viability and public positions on issues important to reproductive health care like advancing racial equity and social justice.
Additionally, PPGPV often calls on elected officials to support policy that effects health center operations and patients’ lives. While we do not automatically endorse incumbents, their history of standing with PPGPV and in support of Planned Parenthood’s mission will be considered in the endorsement process.
In‐person Interviews: Candidate interviews are not required for all races and are considered on a case-by-case basis as determined by staff and Board Directors.
Board Review & Voter Guide: PPGPV Community Outreach Committee, and auxiliary committee of PPGP’s Board of Directors will review staff recommendations and vote for final endorsement. All endorsements will be made public and available on PPGPV’s website.
2023 PPGPV Candidate Questionnaire
PPGPV endorsements and 100% ratings are issued for the current election cycle only and are revocable at any time. Previously endorsed or recognized candidates must apply for endorsement or recognition each time they run. Candidates are encouraged to contact PPGPV staff at [email protected].
A note for candidates for federal office:
Candidates for federal office will receive endorsements from the national action fund, Planned Parenthood Action Fund (PPAF). However, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes can make endorsement recommendations to Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Please reach out to [email protected].
for any questions or to schedule a meeting.
Candidate endorsement process for federal races:
Prior to endorsement, all candidates must be interviewed by national Action Fund staff. Only candidates who score 100% on the Federal Candidate Questionnaire ‐‐ or incumbents who score 100% on the Congressional Candidate Scorecard ‐‐ are eligible for endorsement.