“The stakes are simply too high for the business community to play a passive role during the 2006 elections.”
That quote is found on mdvoteforbusiness.com, a Web site created by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce aimed at educating business leaders and workers about pro-business candidates.
Indeed, it has become the mantra of the Maryland chamber, which decided this election season to become much more politically active in the state elections today.
“The chamber is endorsing candidates for the first time in a while,” said William Burns, a spokesman for the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.
But he said though the chamber is endorsing candidates with campaign contributions through its political action committee, it is also putting out nonpartisan voter education information.
It has asked candidates for state offices, including the Maryland General Assembly and governor?s office, to fill out questionnaires. The responses appear on the chamber?s election Web site.
And there is a list of endorsed candidates throughout the state such as Gov. Robert Erhlich and William Muse, a Baltimore native who is a Democrat representing Prince George?s County in the Maryland House of Delegates. Voters can enter their home address on the chamber?s Web site and questionnaires from the candidates representing their voting district will appear.
“This is in part to encourage businesses to share the information with their employees,” Burns said.
“We are hoping that an educated voter is pro business.”
While other chambers would like to see pro-business candidates elected, they are taking a less active roll by not endorsing specific candidates.
Other chambers, such as the Baltimore and Howard County Chambers of Commerce?s, which represent businesses operating in those counties, have opted to take a more nonpartisan, voter-education approach to this year?s election.
The Howard County Chamber of Commerce held a candidate forum two weeks ago featuring the candidates for Howard County executive.
Pamela Klahr, president of the Howard chamber, said many local chambers have backed away from offering PAC money to specific candidates.
“A lot of chambers used to have active PACs,” Klahr said.
“But it can create as much bad will as good will particularly if the candidate you supported didn?t get elected.”
Joan Hatfield, president of the Baltimore County chamber, said that in this year?s general election, the county chamber focused on urging businesses to allow their employees to vote.
“Since the primary, we have been urging companies to give their employees time to vote, whether its letting them come in late to vote, take extra time at lunch or leave early to vote,” Hatfield said.
Part of the Baltimore Examiner’s 2006 Election Coverage
