The League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha contacts candidates during each election cycle and invites them to participate in the print and online editions of the Voters’ Guide. Candidates provide their biographical information and their positions on selected issues. Candidates are aware in advance that the biographies and answers will be printed exactly as submitted without edits for content, spelling, punctuation or grammar.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that never supports or opposes any political party or candidate for office.
PDF of Douglas County Voters’ Guide | Find voter information specific to your ballot at vote411.org.
All Nebraskans are represented by this office.
Candidates for U.S. Senate (to represent Nebraska)
Deb Fischer (R): No response received.
Jane Raybould (D): www.JaneRaybould.com. Current Public Office, dates held: Lincoln City Council 2015present. Past Public Office, dates held: Lancaster County Commissioner 2011-2015. Education: Master’s Degree, Georgetown University, 1985; Bachelor’s Degree, Creighton University, 1981. Military experience: N/A. Volunteer experience: Malone Center Board of Directors, Community Health Endowment Board of Trustees, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Mother Teresa House (shelter for mothers & their kids), Gym Mass (Mass for Families) Steering Committee Blessed Sacrament.
Jim Schultz (L): http://jimschultz-lpne.nationbuilder.com/. Current Public Office, dates held: None. Past Public Office, dates held: None. Education: BS in Computer Science & Engineering UNL. Military experience: None. Volunteer experience: Boy Scouts of America CommunityCROPS.
U.S. Senate Candidates’ Responses
What would make for a fair immigration system?
Deb Fischer: No response received.
Jane Raybould: A fair system begins with creating a transparent process to allow for the legal immigration that our economy depends upon. This is an issue in which there is a clear contrast between myself and Senator Fischer. For instance, Senator Fischer allows the deportation of DREAMers, kids who have been educated in our public schools and know Nebraska as their home. We have invested in these children and we need to see them join our workforce and continue to contribute to our economy.
Jim Schultz: A fair immigration system must first secure the border as a national security priority. Illegal immigration is at its lowest point in 20 years due to changes in the US temporary worker visa program. I propose removing quotas from other visa programs to encourage legal immigration. People do not want to come here illegally. It is our policies that make illegal immigration attractive. It is costly, impractical and economically damaging to propose deporting all undocumented aliens. Our economic prosperity depends on the labor provided by both legal and illegal immigrants. Granting legal status to those already here is the common-sense solution. Eligibility for government assistance should be limited for non-citizens. Any non-citizen who is convicted of a felony should be deported and not eligible for re-entry. Any non-citizen who serves honorably in our military should be granted citizenship.
What, if any, changes would you recommend for “sensible gun control”?
Deb Fischer: No response received.
Jane Raybould: I believe strongly in the 2nd amendment, but when kids are dying in schools and Washington does nothing because career politicians fear losing their campaign contributors—that’s a broken system. We must close the background check loopholes, reinstate the assault weapons ban and follow President Trump’s lead in banning bump stocks, while also adding more school resource officers and counselors to approach the problem from all sides.
Jim Schultz: The current discussions over gun control are misguided. The underlying concern is violent crime which is both at historic lows and not limited to guns. No proposal being currently put forth can be assured to reduce violence. During the prior assault weapon ban, there was no reduction in violent crime. The right to self-defense is a natural right. It is not granted by government – every person is born with that right. I do support adding the Terrorist Watch List to background checks, but first, an efficient appeals process must be established for names appearing on the list. I also support the use of “Smart Gun” technology to create safer firearms. This market is being held up by a New Jersey law requiring all guns to have Smart Gun technology once it is publicly introduced. This law must be repealed and the market be allowed to develop naturally.
What, if anything, should Congress do to protect the U.S. voting system from foreign influence?
Deb Fischer: No response received.
Jane Raybould: Having the right to vote is what makes American democracy succeed. It is imperative that we keep foreign influence out of our elections–period. This is not a partisan issues–a bipartisan Congressional committee should do everything in their power to first figure out what, if any, foreign influence has impacted our elections to date, so we can fix any holes which have allowed infiltration into our elections. From there, protections are needed to safeguard against outside influence. Special attention needs to be given to digital communications, as we’ve seen consumer behavior change to receive much more of their information digitally, and therefore, we need to set up special safeguards against interference in our elections through the online dissemination of misinformation.
Jim Schultz: Appropriate technology must be used to ensure that voting machines and vote counting systems are free from any outside access. To date, there have been no credible claims of any foreign agent gaining access to vote tabulation systems. Concerns over foreign influence through media manipulation and misinformation campaigns have always been a part of international politics. It is a tactic that the United States uses as well with both our friends and enemies. In a country that values free speech and free press, there is little that can be done to curb outside influence through the selective release of information both in support and opposition to a particular party or candidate. The only way to counter these attempts is to have a robust, independent and accountable press combined with a better educated electorate.
