Are you looking for a nonpartisan voter guide for the Evan Bayh vs. Todd Young Senate 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 Senate 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 Evan Bayh and Todd Young. Visit our Nonpartisan Candidate Guides home page to find links to all our other guides, including the Indiana Governor Guide, with most available in both online/mobile friendly and printable PDF formats.
_______________
Abortion: Should abortion be highly restricted?
Bayh: No
Young: Yes
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which requires key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?
Bayh: Yes
Young: Unclear. Says he supports disclosure in general, but no votes found supporting specific measures.
Campaign Finance: Support Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?
Bayh: No
Young: Yes
Climate Change: Believe that human activity is the major factor driving climate change?
Bayh: Yes. Believe the science is unequivocal.
Young: No. Believes there is no scientific consensus.
Climate Change: Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
Bayh: Yes, although has opposed some regulations that he said would hurt Indiana businesses.
Young: No. Has opposed all regulation attempts.
Contraception: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?
Bayh: Unknown
Young: Yes
Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Bayh: Yes
Young: No
Financial Regulation: Support the Dodd-Frank Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and increases regulation of Wall Street corporations and financial institutions?
Bayh: Yes, although did advocate for carving out some exceptions.
Young: No. Staunch opponent.
Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?
Bayh: Yes
Young: In 2010 opposed. By 2014 said it should be decided by states.
Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun control legislation?
Bayh: Yes, background checks at gun shows and limiting body armor-piercing ammunition.
Young: No
Healthcare: Repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare?
Bayh: No
Young: Yes
Healthcare: Did you support shutting down the federal government in order to defund Obamacare in 2013?
Bayh: No
Young: Voted for initial bills that launched shutdown. Later voted to end it.
Healthcare: Should Planned Parenthood be eligible to receive public funds for non-abortion health services?
Bayh: Yes
Young: No
Immigration: Support the DREAM Act, which would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions? [1]
Bayh: Yes
Young: No. Voted to defund it.
Immigration: Should America’s 11 million undocumented residents have an earned path to citizenship?
Bayh: Yes
Young: No. First priority is securing the border.
Iran: Support the US-Iran treaty that limits Iran’s nuclear capability in return for lifting economic sanctions?
Bayh: No
Young: Opposed. Then called for bipartisan committee to oversee compliance.
Iraq: How should the US combat the success of ISIS?
Bayh: Intensify air-strikes and mobilize global partnerships.
Young: Attack ISIS across borders. Garner support from other countries in region.
Marijuana: Decriminalize and/or legalize marijuana?
Bayh: Unknown
Young: Has supported leaving it up to states.
Minimum Wage: Raise the federal minimum wage?
Bayh: Supported last time he was in the Senate
Young: No. Would also repeal provision in Affordable Care Act that defines full-time as 30 hours.
Renewable Energy: Support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?
Bayh: Has voted for renewable energy subsidies, but opposed federal mandated standards.
Young: Generally no, although opposed one bill that cut funding.
Social Security: Support full or partial Social Security privatization?
Bayh: No, although earlier supported raising Social Security age.
Young: Yes. Strong support for privatization.
Student Debt: Refinance student loans at lower rates, paid for by increasing taxes on high earners?
Bayh: Unclear. Previously opposed refinancing bill he said would cost jobs in Indiana at Sallie Mae. Has supported some bills to cut borrowing costs.
Young: No. Backed pilot program where students could assign a percentage of future earnings to investors who supported their current education.
Student Financial Aid: Should federal student financial aid, like Pell Grants, be increased?
Bayh: Previously voted to expand Pell grants and tax credits. Also started state’s 21st Century Education scholarships.
Young: No. Voted to cut funding for Pell Grants.
Supreme Court: Support the Senate holding hearings to consider Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland?
Bayh: Position unclear
Young: No. Supports having the next president and senate choose and confirm next Justice.
Taxes: Increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
Bayh: Yes. Voted to raise capital gains tax for people earning over 1 million dollars to fund programs like Head Start, child care and nutrition programs.
Young: No. Signed Americans for Tax Reform Pledge to oppose “any and all” tax increases to raise revenue?
Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?
Bayh: No. Rejects photo ID requirements that restrict people’s voting access.
Young: Unclear stand on Voter ID. Has not supported bills requiring states with histories of discrimination to get federal approval on voting law changes.
_______________
Other senate candidates include Lucy Brenton. 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, Countable.us, Ballotpedia.org, 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.
_______________
[1] Need to have graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military.