Voting Rights
The recent elections and efforts to limit ballot access in Texas, Georgia and elsewhere, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive, structural democracy reform. We must defeat voter suppression, gerrymandering and a torrent of special-interest dark money just to exercise their right to vote in our democracy and make their voices heard. I strongly opposed a Republican bill that would limit voting access by prohibiting the use of a driver's license for voter registration and essentially eliminating online/mail registration. Elected officials unafraid of being held accountable should make it easier to register and to vote, not harder, but that is what Republicans in Washington and Texas are doing.
We must protect and expand the rights to vote, preserve the integrity of our elections, crack down on lobbyists and Washington insiders, hold elected officials accountable and end the era of big, secret, special interest money in our politics. This historic reform effort would return power back to the people and help us build a more just, equitable, and prosperous future – for all Americans.
Protecting Access to the Ballot Box
I voted for and sponsored the "For the People Act," which puts the power back in the hands of the American people as it protects clean and fair elections through improving access to the ballot box, promoting election integrity, and ensuring election security. You can watch my floor speech in support of its passage here. This legislation looks to end the dominance of big money in our politics by guaranteeing disclosure of political ads, empowering citizens with a multiple matching system for small donations and strengthening campaign finance oversight; and ensures public servants work for the public interest by fortifying ethics law and imposing greater ethics enforcement in Washington.
It also includes a provision I authored to ensure the disclosure of the business tax returns, as well as the personal individual returns, of candidates for President and Vice President.
Clean and Fair Elections
The For the People Act looks to expand access to the ballot box by:
- Expanding online voter registration
- Implementing automatic voter registration and same day registration across the country
- Restoring federal voting rights to the formerly incarcerated
- Expanding early voting opportunities
- Expanding voting by mail opportunities
- Reducing long lines and wait times for voters
- Expanding access to voting for citizens living in U.S. territories
- Eliminating barriers to voting by mail for Native American voters on tribal lands
- Ending the dominance of big money in our politics
- Ensuring public servants work for the public interest
End the Dominance of Big Money in Our Politics
Enhancing disclosure by shining a light on dark money in politics and enhance transparency in our elections. Ensuring big money spenders disclose their spending so voters can follow the money, establish online political ad disclosure requirements, and end the so-called ‘nesting-doll' sham that allows big-money contributors and special interests to hide the true funding source of their political spending.
We should empower citizens by creating a multiple matching system for small donations and reaffirm Congress' authority to regulate money in politics, overturning the Supreme Court's harmful Citizens United decision.