Vote Climate U.S. PAC’s Voter’s Guide gives every candidate for U.S. Governor a – Climate Calculation – a score for voters to take into the voting booth in November. Our Climate Calculations, ranging from Climate Hero to Climate Zero help Americans to vote climate and elect climate-action candidates. Candidates are scored in 4-climate change categories:
Climate Change Categories
- Position
- Climate Plan
- Leadership
- Fee on Carbon
Each incumbent and challenger receives a score in each of the 4-climate change categories above. Scores are averaged for a final Climate Calculation, based upon the following criteria:
Climate Change Criteria
Position – What They Think and What They Say
- 0 – Disagrees with scientists that climate change is real and human-made.
- 25 – Does not take a position on whether climate change is real and human-made.
- 50 – Agrees with scientists that climate change is real, human-made from burning fossil fuels.
- 75 – Understands the consequences and importance of acting on climate change.
- 100 – Understands the importance of action on climate change as a top priority issue. Sees climate change as the biggest threat facing humanity.
Climate Plan – What is Their Plan
- 0 – Supports 0 of the Climate Plan Score Issues
- 25 – Supports 1 of the Climate Plan Score Issues
- 50 – Supports 2 of the Climate Plan Score Issues
- 75 – Supports 3 of the Climate Plan Score Issues
- 100 – Supports 4 of the Climate Plan Score Issues
Climate Plan Issues
1) Supports Using 100% Renewables by 2030
2) Keep Fossil Fuels (Coal, Oil and Gas) in the Ground
- Supports ending fossil fuel subsidies
- Supports ending fossil fuel extraction on public lands
- Signed the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge
3) Supports Zero Human Made Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050
4) Supports Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) – Supports one or more of the following**:
- Carbon Farming/Sustainable Agriculture
- Reforestation and Afforestation
- Wetland Construction
- Direct Air Capture (DAC) of Carbon Dioxide with Recycling, powered by low-to-zero carbon energy sources
** If the candidate supports one or more of the above methods of CDR, they got credit for this category. Vote Climate U.S. PAC does not support Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) as a method of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) for fossil fuel plants or for the use of enhanced oil recovery, because it could extend the life of fossil fuel extraction.
Leadership – What They Do
- 0 – Public statements, advocacy or votes against action on climate change.
- 25 – Does not oppose action on climate change.
- 50 – Supports action on climate change but is not a strong advocate for it.
- 75 – Makes public statements and advocates for action on climate change, but not as a top priority issue.
- 100 – Makes public statements and advocates for action on climate change as a top priority.
U.S. Fee on Carbon – Position and Leadership
- 0 – Public statements or advocacy against putting a U.S. fee on carbon.
- 25 – Opposes or votes against a U.S. fee on carbon.
- 50 – No known position on a U.S. carbon fee.
- 75 – Supports a U.S. fee on carbon but does not advocate for it.
- 100 – Publicly supports and advocates for a U.S. fee on carbon.
Support for Roe v. Wade
- Supports Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
- Opposes Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
- Has no known or inconsistent position on Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
[If a candidate supports Roe v. Wade, they do not support restrictions on a woman’s right to choose safe and legal abortion up until the point of viability, at 24 weeks of gestation. They support abortion rights post-viability if it is necessary to save the life or health of the women. If candidates indicate that states should be allowed to decide, they do not support Roe. There will be no score associated with the candidate’s position on Roe v. Wade, so it does not figure into their climate calculation. It will be noted on the Google form in their profile. Any sources associated with their position will be added to the sources section of the profile.]