Candidate for Indiana Secretary of State
Andrew Straw
Disability Party
Supports 10 of 10 reforms
Money and Campaigns
Address Indiana’s dark money problem by strengthening disclosure requirements for campaign-related spending by outside groups and corporations so that voters and shareholders can know who is paying for political ads?
Yes
Reduce the influence of big donors by establishing a voluntary campaign finance system that amplifies small donations from individual voters with matching public funds, provided that participating candidates agree to limit their total campaign expenditures?
Yes
Expand Voting Rights and Election Integrity
Indiana’s voter registration and voter turnout statistics are nothing to brag about – we are too often toward the bottom, not the top, when compared to other states. In 2014, Indiana had the dubious distinction of the having the lowest voter turnout in the country. In 2020, although we had record level turnout, we still ranked in the bottom ten for all states at 46th.
We need to make common sense updates so more eligible Hoosiers can register, vote and have their voices heard.
Increase the number of Hoosiers who are registered to vote by offering automatic voter registration when a voter becomes eligible?
Yes
Make absentee voting by mail more accessible by implementing “no-excuse” absentee vote by mail, meaning a voter would no longer be required to provide a reason why they need to vote early by mail?
Yes
Increase voter turnout by allowing voters to register to vote on Election Day at their polling place?
Yes
Ensure Fair Districts and a Representative Democracy
We believe that Hoosiers should pick their politicians, politicians shouldn’t be allowed to pick their voters through partisan gerrymandering. When politicians manipulate voting maps to keep their party in power, the result is dysfunction, polarization, mistrust, cynicism and public policies that don’t reflect the will of the people. Hoosiers are ready for a fair and transparent redistricting process that removes the conflict of interest that happen when politicians control redistricting.
Support amending the Indiana Constitution to take responsibility for Congressional and state legislative redistricting away from the General Assembly?
Yes
To guard against gerrymandering, create a diverse and politically balanced citizens redistricting commission to allow voters to choose their elected officials, instead of politicians selecting their voters?
Yes
Legislative Ethics and Lobbying Reform
More than a thousand registered lobbyists spend millions of dollars to influence the Indiana General Assembly every year and there are no limits on the gifts and perks that lobbyists lavish on our lawmakers. To make matters worse, we don’t get any information about this spending until after the legislative session is over. Lobbying disclosure is an effective regulatory tool only if it is timely, and in Indiana, this disclosure come too late. And, there should be an annual limit on the value of what lobbyists can give to legislators.
To provide Hoosiers with more transparency about who is seeking to influence lawmakers, require more timely spending reports from registered lobbyists?
Yes
To reduce the influence of registered lobbyists, institute a limit on the amount that lobbyists can spend on gifts, meals, travel and other things of value that they give to legislators?
Yes
Additional Comments
I strongly support your mission to increase democracy and reduce what appears to be bribes. I too want voters to have more control and for districts to be arbitrary rather than geographical. I also believe that appellate judges should be elected and not selected by the governor and such races can be partisan. There should be retention votes for Indiana Supreme Court justices every 5 years, not 10. The Clerk of the appellate courts should also be elected. Important positions such as those covering lawyer and judge discipline should not be under the control of one person such as the Chief Justice because this invites corruption and discrimination.
In order for small parties to have fair access to the ballot, petitioning and signing must be integrated with the voter rolls and voter website online. No more must there be any paper and ink signature gathering or any ability to challenge signatures. Every voter in the online database is pre-vetted and eligible to sign electronically using that system.
Democracy is on the ballot in 2022.
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Additional Comments