Secretary of State race draws crowd ahead of filing period in six weeks
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[December 01, 2021]
By Greg Bishop
(The Center Square) – It’s open season for
who will be the next Secretary of State for Illinois. Both established
parties have multiple candidates announced with the filing period
beginning Jan. 13.
Secretary of State Jesse White, a Democrat who’s had the seat for more
than 20 years, said he’s not running again.
Outside of funds the governor controls and the budget for the state
Treasurer, which manages the state’s investments, the Secretary of
State’s budget is the largest of statewide elected officials at more
than $530.6 million.
The Secretary of State’s office manages not only services for drivers,
but also maintains official state records, facilitates public libraries
and maintains and secures the Illinois State Capitol complex and other
state-run buildings. It has about 4,000 employees.
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Among the Democrats announced to replace White is former state Treasurer
Alexi Giannoulias.
“Being the only one who’s run a statewide office, I think that
experience is important, but also being able to bring that private
sector experience is going to be enormously valuable,” Giannoulias said
in August.
Pat Dowell, another Democrat, announced this week she’s expanded her
campaign team. This summer, she said she’s ready for the job.
“We will help move people out of line to online,” Dowell told a crowd in
Springfield in August. “We will provide digital drivers’ licenses and
protect the people’s right to vote.”
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Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.
Seth Perlman
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There’s also David Moore and Sidney Moore vying for
the office.
On the Republican side, state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington,
announced in a campaign video he’s running.
“You won’t just see my picture on the wall at your local Secretary
of State facility, you’ll likely see me in person serving you,”
Brady said.
Republicans could have a choice between Brady and William Kelly who
also announced he’s running. Kelly told WMAY Tuesday he wants to
prevent criminals convicted of certain crimes from being able to own
a car.
“Just like it’s illegal, by the way, for a violent repeat offender,
convicted criminal, to own a gun,” Kelly said. “Well, if they can’t
own a gun, why should they own a car.”
The filing period for the June 2022 primary begins in mid-January.
The general election is in November.
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