NEWS PROVIDED BY
CatholicVote
Oct. 20, 2026
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2026 /Standard Newswire/ — The upcoming gubernatorial elections in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin will heavily impact local access to the historic new Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC). Current leadership in these three states has blocked participation in the program. If that doesn’t change with this election, donor resources from these states will go to children in other states, depriving students in their own communities from access to scholarships they might otherwise have had.
Launching in January 2027, the EFTC allows an annual tax credit of up to $1,700 ($3,400 for couples filing jointly) for those who donate to state-approved K-12 scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). Governors must formally opt into the program each year, submitting a list of approved SGOs for their state. While taxpayers nationwide can claim the credit by contributing to any qualified SGO, students can only receive scholarship money if their governor opts into the program.
If an estimated 5% of eligible taxpayers participated in the EFTC, that would unlock about $9.4 billion per year for tuition scholarships, according to research by the American Federation for Children. If 20% of eligible taxpayers participate, $37.6 billion in scholarships would be available to students—but only in states that opt into the program.
“Though many parents would like to provide their children with the excellent formation and strong community for which Catholic schools are renowned, tuition costs are often out of reach,” said CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt. “This tax credit is a game-changer. It reduces the tax burden for contributors, opens doors for lower-income families and builds up local Catholic school communities. But none of this can happen in states that refuse to participate. That’s exactly why these gubernatorial races are so important.”
• Arizona—While state lawmakers have passed opt-in legislation three times, Governor Katie Hobbs (D) has consistently vetoed it. Her opponent, Andy Biggs (R) has explicitly pledged to ensure Arizona’s children can receive EFTC scholarships.
• Michigan—Democrat Jocelyn Benson opposes the EFTC while John James (R) supports it enthusiastically, pledging to opt the state in on day one.
• Wisconsin—David Crowley (D) continues to withhold his support of the EFTC while Tom Tiffany (R) promises a swift opt-in if elected.
“Andy Biggs, John James, and Tom Tiffany are the clear choices for faith-driven voters who care about expanding access to quality education,” said Josh Mercer, Vice President for Advocacy for CatholicVote. “Families in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin deserve a governor who says ‘yes’ to federal education scholarship funds.”
CatholicVote’s analysis of these and other midterm races can be found at CatholicVote’s Election Resource Hub.
Now in its 21st year, CatholicVote is leading the fight for faith, family, and freedom. Its recently-launched culture-changing project, Zeale.co, was created around the premise that faith should not be isolated from the rest of life. It offers programming that reaches far beyond traditional religious media, exploring sports, work, food, travel, art, family, history, local communities and American culture alongside Catholic news and spiritual content.
SOURCE CatholicVote
CONTACT: Laurie Olsen, Director of Communications, 571-305-3814, lolsen@catholicvote.org