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Tina Smith on Government Reform
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Restore voting rights to ex-felons
Q: Restore voting rights after release from prison?Jason Lewis: Believes voting rights should be restored to felons once they have completed parole. Says each state should decide on laws.
Tina Smith: Co-sponsored bill to restore Voting Rights Act enacted to prevent discriminatory changes to state voting laws and procedures.
Source: CampusElect on 2020 Minnesota Senate race
, Oct 10, 2020
Reverse Citizens United by Constitutional Amendment
Campaign Finance: 1. Require political ads to disclose their largest funders? 2. Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations & unions?Smith: 1. Yes. In 2018, cosponsored DISCLOSE Act, requiring
organizations spending more than $10,000 in an election cycle to disclose donors' names. 2. Reverse Citizens United by Constitutional Amendment.
Housley: Supports Citizen United: "I would be in support of the way it is right now."
Source: 2017-2018 Minnesota special election CampusElect.org Guide
, Nov 1, 2018
Automatic voter registration for all citizens.
Smith co-sponsored H.R.12 & S.1088
Congressional Summary:
- Require each state to make available official public websites for online voter registration.
- Authorizes automated voter registration and establishes same day registration, and voter registration of individuals under 18 years of age.
- Declares that the right to vote shall not be denied because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense.
Supporters reasons for voting YEA: (BrennanCenter.org): Too many Americans go to vote on Election Day only to find their names are not on the voter rolls--often, wrongly deleted. The US is on the verge of a new paradigm for registering voters: automatic, permanent registration of eligible voters, which would add up to 50 million eligible voters to the rolls.
Opponents reasons for voting NAY: (Gov. Christie's veto message on the "Democracy Act", Nov. 2015): Christie called a provision establishing automatic voter registration that requires
New Jerseyan to opt out a "government-knows-best, backwards approach that would inconvenience citizens and waste government resources for no justifiable reason." Automatic voter registration would have added 1.6 million people to the state's voter rolls.
(PopVox.org blog)- TN-8: I have voted in every election federal, state or local that I chose to. If people want to vote there is nothing but laziness preventing them from doing so today! Regarding photo ID's you have one to drive, buy alcohol, and go to the doctor.
- AL-2: This bill is so general that anyone that is alive, has lived, or will live in this century will be able to vote as well as non-Americans, pets, people without voting rights, and some people multiple times.
- TN-3: This bill will surely bring about fixed voting in favor of the one who can cheat the most. How about having a voter photo card and a test to see if they are capable of voting and not just voting for whoever promises them more free stuff.
Source: Voter Empowerment Act 15-S1088 on Mar 19, 2015
CC:Oppose strict Constitutionalist judges.
Smith opposes the CC survey question on judicial constitutionalism
The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Appointing Judges Who Will Adhere to a Strict Interpretation of the Constitution'
Christian Coalition's self-description: "Christian Voter Guide is a clearing-house for traditional, pro-family voter guides. We do not create voter guides, nor do we interview or endorse candidates."
Source: Christian Coalition Surve 18CC-1a on Jul 1, 2018
Sponsored bill for election holiday & easier voting access.
Smith co-sponsored For the People Act of 2019
- This bill expands voter registration and voting access, makes Election Day a federal holiday, and limits removing voters from voter rolls.
- The bill provides for states to establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions.
- The bill also sets forth provisions for sharing intelligence information with state election officials, and supporting states in securing their election systems, and establishing the National Commission to Protect U.S. Democratic Institutions.
- This bill addresses campaign spending, by expanding the ban on foreign nationals contributing to or spending on elections; and expanding disclosure rules.
- This bill establishes an alternative campaign funding system [with] federal matching of small contributions for qualified candidates.
- The bill also requires candidates for President and Vice President to submit 10 years of tax returns.
Opposing argument from the Heritage Foundation, 2/1/2019: HR1 federalizes and micromanages
the election process administered by the states, imposing unnecessary mandates on the states and reversing the decentralization of the American election process. What HR1 Would Do:- Seize the authority of states to regulate the voting process by forcing states to implement early voting, automatic voter registration, same-day registration, online voter registration, and no-fault absentee balloting.
- Make it easier to commit fraud at the polls through same-day registration, as election officials have no time to verify the accuracy of voter registration.
- Degrade the accuracy of registration lists by automatically registering individuals from state databases, such as DMV.
- Cripple the effectiveness of state voter ID laws by allowing individuals to vote without an ID and merely signing a statement in which they claim they are who they say they are.
Legislative outcome: Passed House 234-193-5 on 3/8/19; received with no action in Senate thru 12/31/2019
Source: H.R.1 &S.949 19-S949 on Jan 3, 2019
Voted YES on two articles of impeachment against Trump.
Smith voted YEA Impeachment of President Trump
RESOLUTION: Impeaching Donald Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors.
ARTICLE I: ABUSE OF POWER: Using the powers of his high office, Pres. Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 US Presidential election. He did so through a course of conduct that included- Pres. Trump--acting both directly and through his agents--corruptly solicited the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations into a political opponent, former Vice President Joseph Biden; and a discredited theory promoted by Russia alleging that Ukraine--rather than Russia--interfered in the 2016 US Presidential election.
- With the same corrupt motives, Pres. Trump conditioned two official acts on the public announcements that he had requested: (A) the release of $391 million that Congress had appropriated for the purpose of providing vital military and security assistance to Ukraine to oppose Russian aggression; and (B) a head of state meeting at the White House,
which the President of Ukraine sought.
- Faced with the public revelation of his actions, Pres. Trump ultimately released the [funds] to the Government of Ukraine, but has persisted in openly soliciting Ukraine to undertake investigations for his personal political benefit.
These actions were consistent with Pres. Trump's previous invitations of foreign interference in US elections.ARTICLE II: OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS:- Pres. Trump defied a lawful subpoena by withholding the production of documents sought [by Congress];
- defied lawful subpoenas [for] the production of documents and records;
- and directed current and former Executive Branch officials not to cooperate with the Committees.
These actions were consistent with Pres. Trump's previous efforts to undermine US Government investigations into foreign interference in US elections.
Source: Congressional vote ImpeachK on Dec 18, 2019
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Other candidates on Government Reform: |
Tina Smith on other issues: |
MN Gubernatorial:
Amy Klobuchar
Chris Coleman
Erin Murphy
Jeff Johnson
Lori Swanson
Mark Dayton
Matt Dean
Rebecca Otto
Tim Pawlenty
Tim Walz
Tina Liebling
MN Senatorial:
Amy Klobuchar
Jason Lewis
Jim Newberger
Karin Housley
Paula Overby
Steve Carlson
MN politicians
MN Archives
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Senate races 2019-20:
AK:
 Sullivan(R,incumbent)
vs.Gross(I)
vs.Blatchford(D)
AL:
Jones(D,incumbent)
vs.Tuberville(R)
vs.Sessions(R)
vs.Moore(R)
vs.Rogers(D)
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AR:
Cotton(R,incumbent)
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AZ:
McSally(R,incumbent)
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CO:
Gardner(R,incumbent)
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DE:
Coons(D,incumbent)
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GA-2:
Isakson(R,resigned)
Loeffler(R,appointed)
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GA-6:
Perdue(R,incumbent)
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IA:
Ernst(R,incumbent)
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ID:
Risch(R,incumbent)
vs.Jordan(D)
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IL:
Durbin(D,incumbent)
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vs.Stava-Murray(D)
KS:
Roberts(R,retiring)
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LA:
Cassidy(R,incumbent)
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MA:
Markey(D,incumbent)
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ME:
Collins(R,incumbent)
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MI:
Peters(D,incumbent)
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MN:
Smith(D,incumbent)
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MS:
Hyde-Smith(R,incumbent)
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MT:
Daines(R,incumbent)
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vs.Collins(D)
vs.Driscoll(R)
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vs.Geise(L)
NC:
Tillis(R,incumbent)
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NE:
Sasse(R,incumbent)
vs.Janicek(R)
NH:
Shaheen(D,incumbent)
vs.Messner(R)
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NJ:
Booker(D,incumbent)
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NM:
Udall(D,retiring)
vs.Lujan(D)
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vs.Walsh(L)
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vs.Rich(R)
OK:
Inhofe(R,incumbent)
vs.Broyles(D)
vs.Workman(D)
OR:
Merkley(D,incumbent)
vs.Perkins(R)
vs.Romero(R)
RI:
Reed(D,incumbent)
vs.Waters(R)
SC:
Graham(R,incumbent)
vs.Harrison(D)
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SD:
Rounds(R,incumbent)
vs.Ahlers(D)
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TN:
Alexander(R,retiring)
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TX:
Cornyn(R,incumbent)
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VA:
Warner(D,incumbent)
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WV:
Capito(R,incumbent)
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WY:
Enzi(R,retiring)
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Page last updated: Dec 06, 2020