At polling places with access to an electronic poll book, election officials shall verify against a state database that the person has not been convicted of a felony or, if the person has been convicted of a felony, the person has had the person's
voting rights restored.Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 28-21-1 on April 13, vote #S.J.1005; Rep. Finkenauer voted NAY; passed House 56-40-4 on April 10, vote #H.J.960; signed by Gov. Branstad May 5, record #H.J.1148.
Source: Iowa legislative voting records: HF 516
, Apr 10, 2017
PVS:Regulate campaign donations from corporations.
Finkenauer supports the PVS survey question on regulating campaign donations
Project Vote Smart inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Campaign Finance: Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?'
PVS self-description: "The Political Courage Test provides voters with positions on key issues. Historically, candidates have failed to complete our test due to the advice they receive from their advisors and out of fear of negative attack ads."
Source: PVS Survey 18PVS-16 on Aug 1, 2018
Holiday on election day; revamp for easier voting access.
Finkenauer voted YEA 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: Congressional vote 19-S949 on Jan 3, 2019
Page last updated: Aug 28, 2021
