Are you looking for a nonpartisan voter guide for the Eric Greitens vs. Chris Koster Governor’s race? One that will give you an accurate, no-spin comparison of the candidates’ positions on key issues? Our Campus Election Engagement Project is a national nonpartisan initiative working to increase student electoral participation. At the request of the schools we work with, we’ve created concise nonpartisan candidate guides for the presidential race, for the importance of the 2016 election on future Supreme Court decisions, and for 20 Senate and Governor’s races, including this Governor’s race. Our lead researcher spent 19 years as a senior editor at Encyclopedia Britannica, and we invite readers to share this and our other guides as widely as possible
So here are the issue-by-issue stands for Eric Greitens and Chris Koster. Visit our Nonpartisan Candidate Guides home page to find links to all our other guides, including the Missouri Senate Guide, with most available in both online/mobile friendly and printable PDF formats.
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Abortion: Should abortion be highly restricted?
Greitens: Yes. Will go to court in support of MO’s restrictions on abortion clinics.
Koster: No. Will protect a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions.
Campaign Finance: Do you support increasing restrictions on campaign donations?
Greitens: Ban gifts from lobbyists, but otherwise no stand on restricting donations.
Koster: Yes. Disclose and limit major political contributions & ban lobbyist gifts.
Climate Change: Believe that human activity is the major factor driving climate change?
Greitens: Yes
Koster: Yes
Climate Change: Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
Greitens: Unclear but has opposed EPA regulations on agriculture.
Koster: Not absolute opposition but joined 20-state lawsuit claiming EPA exceeding authority on emissions regulations.
Education: Increase funding for K-12 education?
Greitens: Spending more money doesn’t guarantee better results. Need to focus on changes that will improve results & on reallocating money so more gets to teachers & to classrooms.
Koster: Yes. Top priority is to fully fund MO’s education formula following consistent cuts since 2005.
Education: Provide vouchers to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?
Greitens: Yes
Koster: No
Education: Increase funding for higher education?
Greitens: Unclear. Acknowledges that some recent cuts hurt students, but no public position on increased funding.
Koster: Yes. Says higher ed cut 40% in real dollars since 2001. Funding support needs to be restored.
Gay Rights: Support gay marriage?
Greitens: Supports religious freedom amendment protecting those who refuse to sell services to or marry same-sex couples.[1]
Koster: Yes. Considers it another step toward inclusion and equality.
Gay Rights: Should transgender individuals have the right to use public bathrooms of their choice?
Greitens: No. Obama directive is “obscene overreach” & allows “grown men to go into little girls’ bathrooms.”[2]
Koster: Unclear. Supports Missouri Nondiscrimination Act. But believes Obama’s directive moved too quickly & unilaterally & that schools should develop policies.
Gun Control: Enact more restrictive gun control legislation?
Greitens: No
Koster: No
Healthcare: Repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare?
Greitens: Yes
Koster: No. Originally opposed but now considers it beneficial to Missouri residents.
Healthcare: Accept federal funds so Medicaid will cover people earning up to 138% of the federal poverty line?
Greitens: No
Koster: Yes. Subsidies help provide affordable care to low- and middle-income families. Also benefits Missouri’s economy.
Marijuana: Decriminalize and/or legalize marijuana?
Greitens: Opposes except for low-TCH extract for children with epilepsy.
Koster: Unknown
Minimum Wage: Raise the minimum wage?
Greitens: No. If you “artificially inflate” minimum wage, it closes off opportunities for poor people. Also supports right-to-work and opposes collective bargaining.[3]
Koster: Yes. Make it a living wage. Would also veto right-to-work legislation, which he considers an attack on working people.
Renewable Energy: Support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?
Greitens: Unclear
Koster: Unclear on subsidies but cleaner energy is important state goal. Ten years ago opposed state mandate.
Taxes: Increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
Greitens: No. But close special interest loopholes.
Koster: Continue tax cuts for businesses & individuals, but close some special interest loopholes and increase cigarette tax.
Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?
Greitens: Yes. Supports Voter ID.
Koster: Opposes in general but comfortable with current voter ID law as a good compromise that allows individuals to sign affidavit if they don’t have ID.
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Other gubernatorial candidates include Cisse Spragins (L). Due to limited space, we can’t include her positions, but invite you to check out her website.
Created by the Campus Election Engagement Project, a non-partisan effort to help college and university administrators, faculty, and student leaders engage their schools in the election. Key sites consulted included Votesmart.org, Ballotpedia.org, Countable.us, OntheIssues.org, FactCheck.org , Politifact.com, and public candidate statements. For a guide to all races, see Vote411.org, from the League of Women Voters, and Ballotready.org.
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[1] Supports the purpose of legislation to protect those who refuse to participate in same-sex marriage due to religious beliefs or to sell services to same-sex couples. Opposes bill’s approach because it will hurt MO economy.
[2] From debate during primary race, with bathroom use in schools. Believes the issue must be handled by schools and families and should consider needs of all kids, including safety.
[3] Strong advocate for making Missouri a right-to-work state, and strong opposition to collective bargaining. Therefore generally believed that he opposes increasing the minimum wage.