Kyle Ward, candidate for NC House District 36

Name: Kyle Ward

Political party: Libertarian

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 38

Campaign website: https://wardfornc.org/

Occupation: Data scientist

Education: Master’s in Civil Engineering

Have you run for elected office before? No

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I’ve followed politics for most of my life and am an active member of the Wake Libertarian Party.

What are the three issues that you see as most important to your district and what will you do to address them?

I’m a strong advocate for school choice. All families, not just the affluent, should be able to choose between schools that compete to educate their children. Healthcare costs are rising due to government interference. I would start by repealing certificate of need laws. Crime is rising and our criminal justice system needs an overhaul. Violent criminals must be separated from society, but victimless crimes (like weed possession) need to be decriminalized.

At a time when costs are rising, state government has a surplus. How should it be used?

Return it to the tax payers.

Will you vote for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina?

No.

What has the legislature gotten right, and what has it gotten wrong, about public education in North Carolina?

North Carolina ranks in the bottom half of states in education. The legislature has gotten nothing right. A top-down, centrally planned system will never meet the needs of our children. Forcing kindergartners into remote learning is the latest and most extreme example of how unqualified our current leaders are. North Carolinians offer food assistance to the poor, but we did not build a government-run grocery chain. It’s time to end these failed programs. Put parents back in control.

Should North Carolina change its abortion laws? How?

The current state law banning abortion after 20 weeks should remain.

Please add anything else voters should know about your position on the legality or availability of abortion in North Carolina.

There will never be agreement on abortion. The current law is a reasonable compromise between the rights of the mother and her growing child. Removing all restrictions on abortion is just as radical a position as completely banning it.

Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?

Yes.

What, if anything, should the legislature do to shape curriculum dealing with topics of race, sexuality and gender?

They should do nothing. Centralized solutions never work. Separate education and state and allow parents to choose schools that teach what they want their children to learn.

Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?

Yes.