Archive for the ‘Secretaries of State’ Category
IN: Secretary of State Wants Voters to Know Their Rights
Last Updated on Friday, 18 April 2008 10:56 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 17 April 2008 09:59
The nation’s chief election officers, folks like Indiana’s Todd Rokita, Kentucky’s Trey Grayson, Montana’s Brad Johnson, Arizona’s Jan Brewer and Washington State’s Sam Reed (just to name a few) provide a much too unheralded, and invaluable service to their state’s voters. Your Secretaries of State really are the last line of defense against fraud and abuse in America’s electoral system.
The Indiana Secretary of State’s office will keep a close watch on Delaware County this spring to ensure the integrity of the May primary, Secretary of State Todd Rokita said Wednesday.Rokita called a meeting with editors and reporters at The Star Press on Wednesday urging the newspaper to help his office educate absentee voters about their rights.
His Delaware County trip, he noted, was in response to the November 2007 Muncie election, which sparked a vote fraud investigation that is still being conducted by the Indiana attorney general’s office and Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney.
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VT: Statewide Officials Go Without Pay
Last Updated on Friday, 11 April 2008 09:21 Written by rslcpol Friday, 11 April 2008 09:21
All but one of Vermont’s statewide elected officials had decided by Thursday to go without pay raises for the coming fiscal year, joining their highest paid staff who are affected by a newly declared salary freeze.
Secretary of Administration Michael Smith issued a directive Wednesday freezing pay for about 350 executive branch employees who earn more than $60,000 and whose positions aren’t covered by the union contract. Gov. Jim Douglas agreed the freeze would apply to his salary, too.
SC: 2008 Election Candidates
Last Updated on Monday, 31 March 2008 06:08 Written by rslcpol Monday, 31 March 2008 11:43
Rest easy, no statewide races to speak of in 2008 – just a whole lot of legislative races – which are critical at this level, and especially this year.
Filing for office ended at noon Sunday. The following people filed to run in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties. Candidates who filed in Columbia for races that affect these counties are included on the list.
MA: Dem Governor Struggles With Dem State House. Blames the Speaker
Last Updated on Thursday, 27 March 2008 09:05 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 27 March 2008 09:02
So why has he struggled for traction in a heavily Democratic state with a Legislature that should be on his side?
He blames Speaker DiMasi, a veteran of Beacon Hill who embraces old-school ways of doing business and holds far more sway than the governor over his members. Mr. Patrick believes his casino bill could have passed if Mr. DiMasi, who said gambling would be a scourge on the state, had not pressured lawmakers to oppose it.
“It’s part of what we ran against, and it needs to be called out,” Mr. Patrick said in an interview last week on the day before the House overwhelmingly killed the bill. “We’re going to keep working on it until we get a Democratic process that’s functioning.”
In addition to the gambling plan, which would have allowed up to three resort casinos here, Mr. DiMasi has rejected Mr. Patrick’s proposals to let towns raise certain taxes and to eliminate a century-old property tax exemption for telecommunications companies. But the casino plan drew the most attention and is Mr. Patrick’s highest-profile defeat to date.
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IN: AG’s Decision Not To Run Sets Off Scramble
Last Updated on Thursday, 27 March 2008 09:04 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 26 March 2008 04:06
There will continue to be numerous names emerging in the coming days and weeks ahead no doubt. GOP Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s name also is in the mix.
At least three Republicans and one Democrat surfaced Monday as potential candidates to succeed state Attorney General Steve Carter, who surprised even political insiders with a weekend announcement that he will not seek a third term.Confirming interest in filling the void on the GOP ticket were Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi; Carter’s chief deputy, Greg Zoeller; and Indianapolis attorney Tom Wheeler, who is chairman of the State Election Commission.
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AL: Loser AG Candidate Wants Investigation of Secretary of State
Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 March 2008 09:37 Written by rslcpol Tuesday, 18 March 2008 09:34
This goes beyond not losing gracefully – Montiel has now sued over the AG’s race, the Secretary of State’s race, and a group of state senate races. What is motivating this guy – those must’ve been some darn sour grapes.
A former Alabama judge has asked the state attorney general and the State Ethics Commission to investigate Secretary of State Beth Chapman’s use of her campaign fund.In a letter to both offices, former appeals court judge Mark Montiel questioned contributions Chapman received after her election in November 2006 and payments to her family and her business after the election.
The actions, Montiel wrote, “necessitate a full, complete, and independent investigation by state officials. The violations of law that may have occurred by Secretary of State Chapman are very serious.”
Chapman said Monday there have been no violations, and she could have explained that to Montiel if he had contacted her before seeking an investigation.
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OH: Court Says Democrat’s Video Is Not Private
Last Updated on Friday, 14 March 2008 12:09 Written by rslcpol Friday, 14 March 2008 10:13
How long until this sucker makes it on Youtube? An undisclosed amount of SNS bucks to the first person who finds the video for all to see.
The Ohio Supreme Court has denied Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s request to keep private a videotape of her deposition in a lawsuit, rejecting Brunner’s concerns it could be used against her in campaign ads.Yesterday’s ruling was the third time this week that Brunner lost arguments before the state’s highest court. Justices also denied her request to stop the deposition and to prevent it from being videotaped.
The case involves a challenge by the Summit County Republican Party to Brunner’s decision to reject the party’s recommendation to appoint Brian K. Daley to a seat on the Summit County Board of Elections.
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TN: Amendment for Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Elections Clears House
Last Updated on Friday, 14 March 2008 12:42 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 13 March 2008 11:54
What about the office of attorney general? Come on Volunteers – you can do it!
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A proposal to popularly elect the lieutenant governor and the secretary of state has been approved by the Senate.The Senate voted 20-10 to approve the resolution to put the constitutional amendment before voters. But the measure would still have to pass in the House this year, and then again by a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the next General Assembly before it could go before voters in 2010.
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Campaign Contribution Breakdown in Montana
Last Updated on Friday, 14 March 2008 01:01 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 13 March 2008 10:34
Question here – how deep does Mike Wheat dig into his own pocket to beat Steve Bullock?
– Attorney general: Steve Bullock, a private practice attorney from Helena, leads the three-way Democratic field for this open job. Bullock has collected $130,193 and had about $93,000 of that remaining.Next was former Sen. Mike Wheat, D-Bozeman, a private attorney, who has collected $100,668 so far, including a $30,000 personal loan last year, and had slightly more than $70,000 left.
House Minority Leader John Parker, D-Great Falls, a county prosecutor, has pulled in $72,666 and had a bank balance of about $57,000.
On the Republican side, Tim Fox, a private practice lawyer from Helena, reported total donations so far of $56,252, with $35,075 left in the bank.
His opponent, Lee Bruner, a private attorney from Butte, has raised $26,081 and had $5,554 left in the bank through March 5. He has made a personal loan of $12,651 and has donated $2,001 to his campaign, both of which count as money raised. Bruner has other outstanding debts totaling $2,305.
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TN: Electing Secretary of State Debate Stalls
Last Updated on Friday, 7 March 2008 11:28 Written by rslcpol Friday, 7 March 2008 11:28
The state Senate’s debate on the issue of popularly electing the secretary of state broke down today on whether it would return power to the people or bolster the special interests.
Sen. Rosalind Kurita (D-Clarksville) is pushing a constitutional amendment that would popularly elect the lieutenant governor and the secretary of state.
The legislature currently elects both positions internally, but Kurita argues that Tennessee voters should have a say rather than the current “insider-only opportunity.”
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