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State Representative, District 35

The two houses of the General Assembly (House and Senate) were created at the time Indiana became a state in 1816. The current makeup of the General Assembly, consisting of 100 Representatives serving 2-year terms and 50 Senators serving 4-year terms, was established in the Constitution of 1851. The General Assembly met in alternate years until 1972, when it began meeting annually.Your Indiana General AssemblyConstitutional RequirementsCreation The powers of the Government are divided into three separate departments; the Legislative, the Executive including the Administrative, and the Judicial Article 3, Section 1 Authority The Legislative authority of the State shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives Article 4, Section 1 Each House shall have all powers, necessary for a branch of the Legislative department of a free and independent State Article 4, Section 16 Membership The General Assembly elected during the year in which a federal decennial census is taken shall fix by law the number of Senators and Representatives Article 4, Section 5 The Senate shall not exceed fifty, nor the House of Representatives one hundred members; and they shall be chosen by the electors of the respective districts into which the State may, from time to time, be divided Article 4, Section 2 Term of Office Senators shall be elected for the term of four years, and Representatives for the term of two years, from the day next after their general election Article 4, Section 3 Qualifications No person shall be a Senator or a Representative, who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States; nor any one who has not been for two years next preceding his election, an inhabitant of this State, and, for one year next preceding his election, an inhabitant of the district whence he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five, and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age Article 4, Section 7 Sessions The sessions of the General Assembly shall be held at the capitol of the State, commencing on the Tuesday next after the second Monday in January of each year in which the General Assembly meets unless a different day or place shall have been appointed by law. But if, in the opinion of the Governor, the public welfare shall require it, he may, at any time by proclamation, call a special session. The length and frequency of the sessions of the General Assembly shall be fixed by law Article 4, Section 9 Rules Each House, when assembled, shall choose its own officers, the President of the Senate excepted; judge the elections, qualifications, and returns of its own members; determine its rules of proceeding, and sit upon its own adjournment Article 4, Section 10

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  • Candidate picture

    Philip G. (Phil) Gift
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    Elizabeth Rowray
    (Rep)

Biographical Information

Public education Which of the following would be your top three priorities for improving public education in Indiana? Please write the numbers in front of your chosen three priorities. If you wish, you may expand on your answer in the space below those numerical answers (750 character limit). 1 - Increase teacher pay to address the shortage of qualified teachers. 2 - Restoring funding for public education to levels that existed prior to the Great Recession of 2008-09 adjusted for inflation. 3 - Requiring that K-12 teachers be fully certified in the subject matter or grade level they teach. 4 - Allocation of money to public as opposed to non-public charter schools 5 - Hiring more licensed counselors 6 - Creating a curriculum for reading that meets the I-Read standards to avoid retaining 3rd graders. 7 - I support an option that is not listed. Briefly explain.

Women’s health -abortion What is your position regarding a woman’s right to abortion? Write the number of the one option below that best reflects your position in the space below. If you wish, you may expand on your answer below your numerical response (750 character limit). 0 – Abortion should be illegal under all circumstances. 1 – Only under circumstances of a lethal fetal anomaly or substantial impairment to the life or physical health of the mother. 2 – In addition to the above, abortion should be allowed under circumstances of incest or rape. 3 – Abortion should be allowed up through the 6th week of pregnancy with no restrictions. 4 - Abortion should be allowed up through the 15th week of pregnancy with no restrictions. 5 - Abortion should be allowed up to the 20th week of pregnancy (viability of the fetus). 6 – Abortion should be a decision left entirely to a woman and her physician. 7 – I support a position that is not listed here. Briefly explain.

Gun safety Which of the following would you support to increase gun safety and reduce gun-related crimes in the state. Indicate your support for each by typing the number of the item in the list below, then a comma, then a number between 0 (no support) and 4 (strongly support). For example, 1,4 would indicate that you strongly support a strengthened “red flag” law. If you wish, you may elaborate on your perspective in the space below your numerical responses (750 character limit). 1 - Strengthen the “red flag” law to remove guns from persons who are in a mental health crisis. 2 - Strengthen laws that allow law enforcement to remove guns from persons who have an active domestic violence restraining order. 3 - Require a license or permit for concealed carry of handguns. 4 - Require universal background checks for all firearm purchases. 5 - I support an option that is not listed here. Briefly explain.

Natural resources What is your level of support for non-fossil fuel energy in Indiana (wind, solar). In the space below, enter a number from 0 (No support) to 4 (Strongly support). If you wish, you may expand on your answer in the space below your numerical answer (750 character limit).

Voter rights What is your level of support for no-excuse absentee ballots? In the space below, enter a number from 0 (No support) to 4 (Strongly support). If you wish, you may expand on your answer in the space below your numerical answer (750 character limit).

What is your level of support for using paper ballots and optical scanners state-wide as opposed to DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) systems? In the space below, enter a number from 0 (No support) to 4 (Strongly support). If you wish, you may expand on your answer in the space below your numerical answer (750 character limit).

Cannabis Legalization What is your level of support for cannabis (marijuana) legalization? Write the number in front of the one item below that best reflects your position in the space below. If you wish, you may expand on your answer below your numerical answer (750 character limit). 0 - No change in current law 1 - Legalize medicinal uses of cannabis 2 - Legalize medical and recreational uses of cannabis 3 - Legalize cannabis dispensaries

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Office for which you are a candidate Indiana House of Representatives District 35
Incumbent? no
Previously sought/Held offices none
Experience and qualifications I am a registered nurse who spent the last 17 years of my nursing career working with the Department of Veterans Affairs. I was born and raised in Fairmount, Indiana, and attended all twelve years of school there, in what is now the Madison-Grant school system. After graduating from high school, I earned an associate degree in journalism from Vincennes University, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Administrative Management from the University of Cincinnati, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Ball State University.
Community involvements Church, OUTReach,
Education (degree/year/where) (see experience and qualifications)
Occupation registered nurse
Campaign Phone (Include area code) 765-722-0814
Mailing Address (Street, City, Zip) P.O. Box 454
Gaston, IN 47342
City and County of Residence Gaston
Date of Birth (mm/dd/yy) 100450
Place of Birth (City, State) Muncie, IN
4, 1, 2-- Republicans are undermining Indiana’s public education system by sending millions of taxpayer dollars to charter and private schools—funds that public schools sorely need to provide a quality education. In the 2022-23 school year, for example, $311,800,000 went into Indiana’s “school choice” voucher system instead of to our public
6-I believe that everyone deserves access to comprehensive and affordable reproductive healthcare, which includes

Birth control, contraception counseling, and preconception care

Regular checkups, education, and support for a healthy pregnancy

Access to abortion services in a safe and legal environment, regardless of income or location

I stand with women and will fight to ensure their voices are heard and respected when it comes to complex and often difficult reproductive healthcare decisions. The State has no role in that process. I trust the women of Indiana to make informed choices, with the expert counsel of their own doctors, to do what is best for themselves and their families.
1,4; 2,4; 3,4; 4,4 I am committed to defending the rights of every law-abiding citizen to own and keep firearms in their homes. I am also committed to keeping these firearms off the streets. Open carry should be limited to those with legitimate public safety duties, such as police officers.
4 - I strongly support efforts to implement non-fossil fuel energy systems and feel we need to quickly implement these systems in order to avoid further damage to our planet.
4- Voter access to the polls in Indiana is a nationwide embarrassment, with Indiana having one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the country
4- We need physical documentation of all votes to back up any/all DRE systems.
2-I strongly support the legalization of cannabis for both medical and recreational use. I favor this legislation because most Hoosiers do, and in a democracy, the will of the majority of citizens should determine the laws they live under.
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