The U.S. House is expected to take up sweeping election reform legislation, HR 1, later this week. Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine’s 2nd District is joining election reform advocates in calling for its passage.
Golden says the legislation would require all states to adopt many of the voting policies already in place in Maine, Such As Election Day voter registration and paper ballots.
“Paper ballots to ensure that we have a secure record of your vote having been cast, to be able to register to vote on the same day as the election. To be able to cast an absentee ballot without restrictions, without having to have some excuse,” he says.
Golden says the measure also would adopt a national clean elections law like Maine’s, but would use fees collected from perpetrators of financial crimes to fund some congressional races and prohibit members from serving on the boards of corporations.
Anna Kellar, executive director of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, says the measure would also change campaign advertising requirements.
“HR 1 addresses the near complete lack of transparency about who funds political advertising on the internet. The bill will better inform citizens of who is behind the ads they are seeing,” she says.
Supporters of HR 1 say it would also preempt efforts in many states to make voting more difficult.
