Methodology Stmt

What We Measure

Protecting Life

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Parental Rights & Protecting Children

25%

Questions 1-4

Protection of unborn life; parental notification and consent for minors; abortion reporting; taxpayer funding of abortion.

Parental Rights & Protecting Children

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Parental Rights & Protecting Children

30%

Questions 5-9

Parental authority in medical decisions; medical gender transitions on minors; school notification to parents; parental access to records and curriculum; sex-based privacy in K-12 facilities.

Education & Educational Freedom

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

25%

Questions 10-15

Educational choice; education funding that follows the child; homeschool and private-school independence; age-appropriate materials; consent for sexual instruction; girls' athletics.

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

20%

Questions 16-19

Religious liberty; medical conscience; faith-based adoption and foster care; religious beliefs on marriage and sexuality

How the score is calculated

Each question is answered Support, Undecided or Oppose.

Support earns full points for that question.
Undecided earns half points.
Oppose earns zero.

Each category score is the points earned divided by the points possible, times the category weight. The four category scores add up to the Family Score, rounded to the nearest whole number.

Example: a candidate earning 21.875 of 25 in Life, 27 of 30 in Parental Rights, 20.833 of 25 in Education and 17.5 of 20 in Religious Freedom has a Family Score of 87.

Where the evidence comes from

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

Every candidate is invited to complete it. A completed questionnaire controls the score and replaces all other evidence. A question left unanswered on a submitted questionnaire scores zero.

2. The candidate's own record

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

When there's no questionnaire, we review what the candidate has said and done: answers to other voter-guide surveys, campaign websites and public statements, news coverage, and votes, sponsorships or official acts on bills and issues that match our questions. Floor votes are checked against official roll calls. Earlier-career votes and statements are used only when there is nothing more recent.

3. Endorsements

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

4. Third-party voter guides

Only when a candidate's own record is silent, we consider endorsements from organizations with clearly stated positions, and from legislators whose voting records we can check. An endorsement is applied only to the questions tied to that group's or legislator's known positions

4. Third-party voter guides

NMFAM also reviews third-party voter guides, but we do not adopt other organizations' ratings as our own.

When Information is missing

4. Third-party voter guides

When Information is missing

Missing information never counts against a candidate. A question with no reliable evidence is left out, not scored as Oppose. If a whole category has no evidence, it is set aside, and the remaining categories are reweighted in proportion so they still total 100.

Example: a candidate has evidence only on Life (2 of 2 questions aligned) and Parental Rights (1 of 2 aligned). Life counts for 25/55 of the score and Parental Rights for 30/55. The Family Score is 73.

Understanding the Score

How to Read a Score

Candidates can update their score

Every score is published with its coverage: how many of the 19 questions it rests on, and whether it comes from a completed questionnaire. A score of 100 based on a completed questionnaire is a candidate's own commitment on every issue. A score of 100 based on three public statements is a strong signal, but a partial one. Look at both numbers.

Candidates can update their score

Any candidate may complete the NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire at any time before the election. Their answers will replace our research-based score. To request a questionnaire or flag evidence we may have missed, contact NMFAM at nmfam.org.

FAQ

Is the Family Score an endorsement?

No. It measures alignment with the positions in our questionnaire. It is a tool to help voters compare candidates on these issues, not a recommendation to vote for or against anyone.

Do you score every candidate the same way?

Yes. The same 19 questions, weights and evidence rules apply to every candidate in every race, regardless of party.

Why does a candidate have no score?

We found no reliable evidence on any of the 19 questions, and the candidate has not returned a questionnaire. We would rather show no score than guess.

How do you handle nuanced positions?

We follow the questionnaire's definitions. For example, supporting limits on abortion with an exception for the life of the mother counts as full support on Question 1, since the question itself includes that protection. Positions that include broader exceptions, such as rape or incest, are scored as mostly aligned.

Why doesn't a public statement count for more questions?

We score a statement only on the questions it clearly addresses. Saying "I'm pro-life" counts toward Question 1, but not toward questions on reporting or taxpayer funding. Personal faith or church membership alone is not scored.

Can a score change before the election?

Yes. Scores update when a candidate returns a questionnaire or when we find new, verified evidence.

I think a score is wrong. What should I do?

Contact us at nmfam.org with a link to the evidence. Candidates are welcome to do the same, or simply complete the questionnaire.

NMFAM Family Score

Our Methodology

What We Measure

Protecting Life

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Parental Rights & Protecting Children

Parental Rights & Protecting Children

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Parental Rights & Protecting Children

Education & Educational Freedom

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

Religious Freedom, Conscience & Family

How the score is calculated

Where the evidence comes from

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

2. The candidate's own record

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

3. Endorsements

1. The NMFAM Candidate Questionnaire

4. Third-party voter guides

4. Third-party voter guides

4. Third-party voter guides

4. Third-party voter guides

When Information is missing

4. Third-party voter guides

When Information is missing

Understanding the Score

How to Read a Score

Candidates can update their score

Candidates can update their score

Candidates can update their score

Candidates can update their score

Candidates can update their score

FAQ

Is the Family Score an endorsement?

Do you score every candidate the same way?

Why does a candidate have no score?

How do you handle nuanced positions?

Why doesn't a public statement count for more questions?

Can a score change before the election?

I think a score is wrong. What should I do?

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