Kamala Harris refuses to say if she’s voting for tougher criminal sentences in California
Kamala Harris declined to answer when asked how she would vote on a measure to impose harsher sentences on criminals in California.
The vice president took questions from reporters in Michigan on Sunday as she discussed whether she cast her own vote in the final hours of the race.
The Democratic nominee confirmed she would vote by mail and hoped it would arrive in her home state on time.
She was then questioned about how she voted on Proposition 36, a ballot measure that could crack down on crime.
Harris is frantically campaigning in swing states with less than 48 hours to go until what could be one of the closest presidential elections in history.
She got a boost in the polls this weekend, with a New York Times poll showing her trailing in just two of seven swing states, and stunning Des Moines Register polls showing her ahead of Trump in the deep red state of Iowa.
Kamala Harris declined to answer when asked how she would vote on a measure to impose harsher sentences on criminals in California
“So I’ve got my ballot, it’s on its way to California, and I’m going to trust that it’s going to get there, and I’m not going to talk about the vote on that, because honestly, it’s the election the Sunday before, and I’m not into plan to build support for it somehow,” she said.
Proposition 36 would strengthen penalties for certain drug and theft crimes and reverse the progressive criminal justice reforms under Proposition 47.
It would upgrade crimes such as repeat shoplifting and fentanyl from misdemeanors to felonies and crack down on repeat offenders.
The measure is unpopular among progressive Democrats and California Governor Gavin Newsom, but is overwhelmingly popular among Californians.
Harris’s record on crime and her record as a prosecutor in San Francisco have been frequently used by Republicans during the campaign.
Trump and his allies have focused on light sentences and criminals who have reoffended after being released from prison.
The vice president took questions from reporters in Michigan on Sunday as she discussed whether she cast her own vote in the final hours of the race.
Harris is frantically campaigning in swing states, with less than 48 hours until what could be one of the closest presidential elections in history
The Republican Party has also linked the vice president to migrants who committed violent crimes after crossing the border.
Harris has simultaneously used her time as California’s top law enforcement official to prove she has the qualifications to be president of the United States.
In October, she was again evasive when asked about Prop 36.
“I haven’t voted yet and I actually haven’t read it yet,” Harris told reporters before a flight from Detroit to New Jersey, in response to a question about Proposition 36. “But I’ll let you know.”
Harris also avoided taking a position on Proposition 47 when it came up for a vote in California in 2024.
The measure reduced the number of people serving prison sentences for non-violent drug offenses and sent millions to treatment and rehabilitation programs.
It also called for anyone who steals goods worth less than $950 to be charged with a crime.
As a result, stores were left relatively helpless in stealing from their stores.
Walmart and In-N-Out Burger are among the companies funding the campaign behind Proposition 36.