Tag Archives: single shot vote

Meet Our Candidates: Alex Martinez for State Representative, LD 6

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The Arizona primary election will be held on August 30, 2016. Reproductive health care access has been under attack, both nationally and statewide, but Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona has endorsed candidates who have shown strong commitment to reproductive justice. To acquaint you with our endorsed candidates, we are running a series called “Meet Our Candidates.” In order to vote in the primary election, you need to have been registered to vote by August 1. Missed the deadline? You can still register online for November’s general election. Make your voice heard in 2016!

Alex Martinez cropped[T]he sprawling 6th Legislative District covers a large swath of rural Arizona, from the Grand Canyon in the north to the Tonto National Forest in the south, and from Jerome in the west to Holbrook in the east. It is a beautiful section of the state, and given that it is a rural district, its constituents have different needs compared to their urban counterparts in metro Phoenix and Tucson. Alex Martinez, our endorsed candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives in LD 6, seeks to help meet those needs.

“We have a vested interest in women’s health care issues and providing family planning services.”

Alex Martinez, a fifth-generation southwest native, was born, raised, and educated in Arizona, where he earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and an Ed.D. at the University of Arizona. Additionally, he is a Navy veteran, having served six years in the enlisted ranks and 30 years as an officer.

Martinez has been a public school teacher, principal, and superintendent, and his experiences in Arizona’s public schools give credence to his belief in the importance of sex education as a resource students need to ensure they have all the information needed to make healthy decisions. In an interview on July 25, 2016, Martinez told us he would like to “introduce legislation that provides funds to districts that provide sexuality education,” as well as to “provide funds to develop a statewide program so that there is uniformity with instruction.” Continue reading →

Meet Our Candidates: Eric Meyer for State Representative, LD 28

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The Arizona general election will be held on November 4, 2014, and early voting starts today! Reproductive health care access has been under attack, both nationally and statewide, but Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona has endorsed candidates who have shown strong commitment to reproductive justice. To acquaint you with our endorsed candidates, we are running a series called “Meet Our Candidates.” Make your voice heard in 2014!

Eric_Meyer_Pic_004[1] (1)[I]n his six years in the Arizona House of Representatives, Dr. Eric Meyer has worked to make education and health care access legislative priorities; in fact, he is now the ranking member of both the House Education and House Health committees. Last legislative session, he was part of a bipartisan effort to pass bills to stop sex trafficking and to aid victims of that trafficking. As he seeks to represent the Phoenix-area Legislative District 28 for one more term, he will continue to advocate for the needs of his constituents and all Arizonans.

Dr. Meyer was kind enough to take the time for an interview on October 1, 2014.

“Bills that legislate the practice of medicine put both patients and their health care providers at risk.”

How has your commitment to serving Arizona grown over the past two years? On the policy level, what has happened during that time to give you hope, and what has happened to strengthen your convictions?

In the last two years I have worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass sensible legislation that improves the quality of life for all Arizonans and successfully fought to stop some, but not all, negative legislation. My hope is to return to the Capitol and use my skills to advance policy that will move Arizona forward.

Last legislative session, you voted against HB 2284, which now permits the health department to inspect abortion clinics without a warrant. What do you think about this new law? In contrast to bills like HB 2284, what kind of beneficial legislation would you like to see introduced, and why do you think it is important to fight for it?

Warrantless inspections of abortion clinics were held unconstitutional prior to the passage of this legislation. The question of constitutionality was raised in relation to an Arizona-specific abortion licensing statute in 1999. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in Tucson Women’s Clinic v. Eden, held that warrantless inspections of abortion clinics are unconstitutional under the fourth Amendment because abortion clinics have a heightened expectation of privacy due to the hostility to the services being provided. Continue reading →

Meet Our Candidates: Karyn Lathan for State Representative, LD 17

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The Arizona general election will be held on November 6, 2012, with early voting starting on October 11. After the many recent legislative challenges to reproductive health care access, both nationally and statewide, the importance of voting in November can’t be overstated. To help voters, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona has endorsed candidates who have shown strong commitment to reproductive health and freedom. Along with those endorsements, we are spotlighting our endorsed candidates in a series called “Meet Our Candidates.” To vote in the general election, you must register to vote by midnight tonight (October 9) — and can even register online. Make your voice heard in 2012!

[K]aryn Lathan, an Arizona native from Chandler, is running in Legislative District 17 for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives, an area that includes Chandler, Sun Lakes, and part of Gilbert. She has had a career in law enforcement and corrections, and ended her 25-year career as the restorative justice coordinator for the Arizona Department of Corrections. Lathan is currently finishing her degree in business administration at the University of Phoenix.

“We have rolled women’s rights back to the 1950s.”

Lathan is the sole pro-women’s health candidate running for the House in Legislative District 17, facing off against Republican opponents Tom Forese and J.D. Mesnard. Because of the views of the other candidates in the LD 17 House election, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona is recommending a “single-shot vote” for Karyn Lathan. Lathan generously took the time for an interview with us on October 5, 2012.

Tell us about your background and how it will serve your constituents.

I spent my career in law enforcement, first in the U.S. Air Force, then in corrections. I was a correctional officer, correctional programs officer, and probation and parole officer. I ended my career in corrections when I returned to Arizona and started the first restorative justice program for the Arizona Department of Corrections. Currently I am a commissioner with the Chandler Domestic Violence Commission and work with several victim services agencies. I am a consultant for Coalition to End Arizona’s Sexual Exploitation (CEASE). My passion lies with women’s issues and anti-violence issues.

My whole career has been about community and how to have a safe, productive community. I will continue to fight for the quality of life that we all deserve and that emphasizes respect and progress. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link — so is a community. Continue reading →

Meet Our Candidates: Eric Meyer for State Representative, LD 28

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Eric_Meyer_Pic_004[1] (1)The Arizona general election will be held on November 6, 2012, with early voting starting on October 11. After the many recent legislative challenges to reproductive health care access, both nationally and statewide, the importance of voting in November can’t be overstated. To help voters, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona has endorsed candidates who have shown strong commitment to reproductive health and freedom. Along with those endorsements, we are spotlighting our endorsed candidates in a series called “Meet Our Candidates.” To vote in the general election, you must register to vote by October 9 — and can even register online. Make your voice heard in 2012!

[V]oters first elected Dr. Eric Meyer to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2008, where he has served on the Education, Government, and Transportation committees. Once again, he seeks to represent the constituents of Central Phoenix, Sunnyslope, and Paradise Valley — the newly redrawn Legislative District 28 — in the Arizona House of Representatives.

He was gracious enough to agree to an interview with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, which took place on September 17, 2012.

“Sex education … should be comprehensive and based on facts and peer-reviewed research.”

Tell us a little about your background.

I attended Cocopah Elementary School and Chaparral High School. I earned a degree in economics from the University of Southern California and a medical degree from the University of Arizona Medical School. My post-graduate training was in the specialty of emergency medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University. I practiced medicine in Portland’s Providence Emergency Department, eventually becoming director of that department.

I returned to Arizona 15 years ago with my wife, Sarah Snell, also a physician, and our two children. While Sarah concentrates on her practice, I serve on the Scottsdale School District Governing Board and in the Arizona State Legislature.

As a member of the Children’s Museum of Phoenix Board of Directors and the Scottsdale Unified School District All-City Athlete Banquet Board, I am a dedicated advocate for children. I have also served as a legislative liaison for the Scottsdale Parent Council, PTO president for Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center, and Scottsdale Unified School District budget committee member.

I believe strong public schools are the bedrock of Arizona’s future. As a school board member for the past eight years, I have gained intimate knowledge of our schools’ needs, and have developed a plan to move our schools forward.

My background in economics and medicine gives me the tools to address the growing problem of access to quality, affordable health care, especially for our children, and to identify ways to diversify and strengthen our economy. Continue reading →