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ROCK SPRINGS Abortion rights, medicinal marijuana, education funding, voting rights and public lands were just a few of the topics addressed Tuesday afternoon in a Legislative forum held at Western Wyoming Community College.

The Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce hosted the event that featured candidates in four House races and one Senate race.

The most spirited debates were shared between the Republicans and Libertarians vying for House Districts 39 and 18.

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Libertarian Marshall Burt is running for a second term against first-time Republican candidate Cody Wylie. The two strongly differed in their opinions about Wyomings economy.

Wylie said Wyoming needs to invest more money into its infrastructure to bolster the private sector and make the state more attractive to outside businesses. But Burt cited several examples where merely improving infrastructure alone doesnt entice businesses to move here.

We can bring more businesses by reducing regulations, Burt said. As a private business, whenever you have to compete with the open checkbook of the government, which is the taxpayers dollars, youre going to lose.

Wylie also asked Burt to clarify a motion he made while a member of the House Corporations Committee (CC) this year about creating a third-party agency to oversee state elections. The motion passed and now the Legislative Service Office will draft a bill that will go back to the CC which will vote on whether it goes to floor for consideration.

Marshall, no offense, but I wouldnt touch that with a ten-foot pole, Wylie said. Were not only talking about undermining the Secretary of State of Wyoming, but were talking about taking away the power of the public vote. And that needs to be the most sanctified thing we have in our form of government.

Burt said he made the motion primarily due to concerns about then-Representative Chuck Grays intentions to suppress voting rights in Wyoming. Gray won his primary election for Secretary of State over Tara Nethercott in August and is likely going to win the General Election in November.

Burt says hes concerned that Gray is proposing to remove ballot boxes around the state making it more difficult for residents in rural areas to vote. Hes also sponsored a bill that would equalize the voting method and positions on the ballot for all parties including independents.

Chuck Gray decided to vote against that in order to protect party over the individual candidate, he said. Hes also pushing that we will have election fraud in our 2024 election, and we have yet to get through the 2022 election.

He said no evidence exists that there was any fraud in the 2020 election, so with no fraud, what are we actually basing his determination on, and why he wants to remove some of these items.

Republican incumbent Scott Hiner and Libertarian challenger Dennis Laughlin differed in their opinions about individuals wanting to make their own medical decisions.

Hiner said he supports individual liberties as long as they dont impact others. He cited abortions as an example.

I do not believe abortions are victimless, Hiner said. They have sonograms that show babies screaming and pulling away from that procedure. Do our liberties allow us to kill someone? Absolutely not.

But Laughlin said he doesnt believe it should be up to me or anyone else to dictate your medical decisions. He used medical marijuana as an example that no one should go to jail for treating a chronic illness like arthritis, cancer, or multiple sclerosis.

Hiner said his research shows that crime in Oregon is on the rise since its legislature passed a law legalizing many drugs including marijuana. He fears the Libertarian agenda could create a similar situation in Wyoming.

Laughlin countered that about 80 percent of Wyomingites favor medical marijuana and 37 states have already passed such legislation.

He added that if elected hed work on a bill that would establish freedom for end-of-life decisions so that no one would be forced to spend their life savings only to die a slow, painful and undignified death because of someone elses overreaching moral superiority.

Hiner turned the conversation back to the abortion issue saying Wyomings trigger bill was designed to promote the health and morality of citizens by protecting these unborn children from being murdered which is essentially what happens during an abortion.

Laughlin argued that Article 138 of the Wyoming Constitution was passed back in 2012 and stated that competent adults are free to make their own healthcare decisions which puts us in direct conflict with the trigger law you pushed.

Im a staunch believer and advocate in self-determination and personal responsibility, Laughlin said. I believe the best government is a limited governmentexecuted with judicious, fiscal responsibility that also fosters, rather than encroaches on civil liberties.

Hiner said during his tenure the Legislature has reduced government by 15 percent, and he wants to continue working toward the goal of less government in his constituents lives.

Several other forums took place yesterday including HD-48 between incumbent Republican Clark Stith and Democratic challenger Misty Morris. Democrat incumbent Chad Banks debated with first-time Republican candidate J.T. Larson in HD-17, and first-time candidates Stacy Jones (R) and Lisa Kuhlmann (D) are challenging each other in Senate District 13.

The General Election will be held across the country on Tuesday, November 8. Early voting has already begun in Sweetwater County.

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Legislative Candidates Hold Spirited Debates on Western Campus - SweetwaterNOW

Whos running for City Council in Philadelphia? Thats a question on the minds of many Philadelphia voters as a handful of current members vacate their seats to run or explore a run for mayor of Philadelphia.

Philadelphias resign-to-run rule requires members of City Council to resign their seats in order to run. So far, thats happened four times in 2022, with the resignation of Allan Domb,Derek Green,Cherelle ParkerandMaria Quiones-Snchez all of whom, with the exception of Domb, have launched formal campaigns for the citys top job.

City Council President Darrell Clarkecalled for a special election to fill these vacancies. which you will find on your ballot during 2022 PA General Election, which concludes with in-person voting on November 8. Voters in Philadelphia will decide on two district-specific candidates, in the 7th and 9th councilmanic districts, and two at-large candidates.

How did we get these candidates in the first place? Party ward leaders chose them. We did some diligent digging to offer you descriptions of each City Council candidate they chose, so you can step into the voting booth (or fill in your mail-in ballot at home) with some background knowledge on your side.

This seat, vacated by four-term councilmemberMaria Quiones-Snchez, represents parts of North and Northeast Philadelphia, including Kensington, Feltonville, Fishtown, Hunting Park, Frankford, Harrowgate, Norris Square and Juniata Park.

QUETCY LOZADA: Lozada served from 2008 to 2018 as Quiones-Snchezs chief of staff. Shes a Philadelphia native, Northwood resident, mother of two, andvice president of community engagement and organizingfor the Hunting Park Christian service groupEsperanza. Shes also served onPennsylvania Commission of Latino Affairsand worked for theCouncil of Spanish Speaking Organizations(Concilio) andPhiladelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. Her community service work includes collecting and distributing hundreds of Thanksgiving baskets for families in need, anLIHEAPdrive to assist Spanish-speaking residents in completing applications for utility bill assistance, a citywide winter coat drive, and public clean-ups.

JAMES WHITEHEAD:Whitehead is a Frankford native and business and property owner. Whitehead grew up in poverty, battled depression and homelessness, and considers himself self-made. Gun violence and drugs afflicted many of his friends. He is the father of two.

RANDALL J. JUSTUS:Information to come.

This seat, vacated by two-term councilmemberCherelle Parker, consists of the Northeast and Northwest Philadelphia neighborhoods ofMount Airy, West Oak Lane, East Oak Lane, Olney, Lawncrest, Lawndale, Burholme and Oxford Circle.

ANTHONY PHILLIPS:Phillips grew up in working-class Philadelphia and currently serves as executive director of Youth Action, a program that connects Phillys middle and high school students to service opportunities to inspire socially responsible leadership. Phillips also directs precollege programs atTeenSHARP, an organization that opens doors for minority youth to achieve scholarships and gain admission to selective universities.

ROSLYN ROSS:This Mt. Airy resident and former Democrat spoke with theNortheast Timesduring an event with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz. Her biggest concerns arecrime,educationand programs forsenior citizens. She says she plans to door-knock for votes: Im a boots-on-the-ground candidate.

YUSUF JACKSON:Information to come.

The seven at-large members of City Council dont represent any specific neighborhoods. Another way theyre different: At least two of them need to be from a minority party or independent. So far, only Democratic at-large councilmembers have resigned their seats:Derek GreenandAllan Domb.

JIMMY HARRITY (1):A native of Southwest Philadelphia, Harrity received his GED from theCommunity College of Philadelphia, operated the Famous Cookie stall at the Bellevue, was an investigator under City Controller Jonathan Saidel, worked union construction, and struggled with alcoholism. After getting sober, he executive directedSenator Sharif Streets office, then became political director of thePennsylvania Democratic Party. He is on the board of the addiction nonprofitOne Day at a Time, hopes to empower kids in hisKensingtonneighborhood, and believes in educational equitys power to create social mobility.

SHARON VAUGHN (2):Vaughn is the Democratic leader of the 42nd Ward and, until recently, was chief of staff to At-Large CouncilmemberDerek Green. Her previous roles in city government include working as an aide to former Councilmember Marian Tasco. Vaughn, a Feltonville resident, she has said would work to prevent gun violence by seeking out those whove committed crimes and offering them some type of resources to maybe prevent them from going out there and being violent criminals, she told theInquirer.

JIM HASHER(3):Hasher is a Torresdale resident, the owner of both a realty company and sports bar, and his partys former leader of the 65th Ward. The father of five graduated from Archbishop Ryan and serves as athletic director of theTorresdale Boys Cluband a basketball coach for Torresdale and St. Katherine of Siena. Hes stated his priorities as public safety, quality of life, the opioid epidemic, small businesses and lifelong residents. Describing himself as a moderate, Hasher recently tells theInquirer, I want to kind of rip the Republican label off of this thing.

DREW MURRAY(4):Murrayis the 15th Wards Republican and a former Democrat. He works as the regional sales manager at a Conshohocken storage system firm and volunteers as the president of Friends of Coxe Park. Hes been the president of hisneighborhood association (Logan Square), where he lives with his family. Murray is on the board of Center City District and the finance council of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. He ran for Council unsuccessfully in the 2019 Republican primary.

POETICA BEY (5):Bey is a spoken word artist, filmmaker and producer and host of a radio show about art and activism on WPEB, 88.1FM. She studied at Moore College of Art & Design and the University of the Arts.

MARCK JURCHAK (6):Jurchak chairs Philadelphias Libertarian party and has worked as a computer programmer and hardware verification engineer. He is strongly anti-vaccine and anti-mask, and fairly active onFacebook.

Read more:
Who's running for City Council during the 2022 special elections - The Philadelphia Citizen

AMANDA GOKEE| New Hampshire Bulletin

Brodie Deshaies saw unions give a voice to his family members, helping them negotiate a fair contract at work. So when he was elected to represent Wolfeboro in the New Hampshire House, he knew he would vote against right-to-work legislation, a perennial attempt to prevent private-sector unions from requiring non-union members to pay dues. For Deshaies, that no vote also aligns with his free-market Republican values: The government shouldnt meddle in private-sector contracts.

There have been at least 30 attempts to pass a right-to-work bill in New Hampshire, none of which have succeeded. Even with a 50-seat Republican majority in 2017, the measure failed, with 32 party members voting with Democrats. In 2021, the bill wasvoted downby 24 votes. Proponents have argued that more businesses would come to New Hampshire if their workers werent forced to pay union dues. Opponents have countered with predictions that weaker unions would cost workers needed protections.

But the libertarian conservative group Americans for Prosperity, founded in 2004 by conservative billionaires David and Charles Koch, disagrees. The organization wants New Hampshire to become a right-to-work state, and in the last two years it has spent over $1 million promoting candidates who share that view. Both Americans for Prosperity and the Republicans it has ousted agree: Theyre succeeding.

Of the 21 Republicans who voted against right-to-work legislation in 2021, fewer than half have a shot at returning to the State House. Eight decided not to run again, and four were defeated in the primary, including Deshaies, who blames his defeat on Americans for Prosperitys involvement. He believes outside money in campaigns could continue to shape the states stance on right to work moving forward.

There are a lot of outside groups and this is true in both parties that are realizing how inexpensive it is to buy a seat, he said. I use that term very directly: to buy a seat in the state Legislature. And they realize how effective it can be in changing the states policy.

With a dwindling percentage of the Republican caucus opposing right-to-work legislation, this session could yield a different outcome. Gov. Chris Sununu, a right-to-workproponent, would not stand in the way. And the Legislature is poised to take up the issue in 2023 if preliminary legislation seeking to reintroduce the bill moves forward.

In an article for the Guardian, three university professorswrotethat Americans for Prosperitys focus on anti-union legislation is both in line with libertarian free-market ideology and a strategy for building conservative power. AFP has recognized that to make lasting change in US politics, the Koch network would need to permanently weaken the organizations that support liberal candidates and causes and above all, the labor movement, they wrote in 2018.

According to campaign finance filings, Americans for Prosperity spent $6,750.45 to support Deshaies opponent, Katy Peternel. Her successful bid for the Republican nomination was aided by thousands of dollars in paid canvassing and eight mailers, according to the filings. Peternel raised $7,934.03 on top of that. Thats $14,684.48 between what Peternel raised and what AFP independently spent to support her campaign. Theres no search function on the Secretary of States campaign finance website that shows whether other groups also independently supported Peternel. Deshaies outspent her, spending $24,652.92, but still lost.

He wasnt the only anti-right-to-work Republican to lose his primary to a candidate supported by Americans for Prosperity.

Certainly my right-to-work stance brought Americans for Prosperity after me, said Rep. Dennis Acton, a Fremont Republican. Im getting absolutely bombarded right now, he said ahead of the primary.

He lost to Emily Phillips, who was endorsed by Americans for Prosperity. The organization reported spending $6,399 on mailers, paid canvassing, and digital ads to support her.

You cant beat that, Acton said. He had not filed his campaign expenditures with the Secretary of State at the time of publication but said he raised around $2,250, enough for one limited mailing to 750 households.

Some Republicans say these efforts are not only reducing Republican opposition to right to work but changing the identity of their party.

It used to be the Republicans were the working mans party, said Rep. John Klose, an Epsom Republican, who voted against right to work last year. Things have changed.

Klose lost his primary to Dan McGuire, who was endorsed by Americans for Prosperity.

Rep. Jim Allard, a Pittsfield Republican who opposed right to work and was also ousted in the primary, believes outside money is pushing the party further to the right. Allard was targeted by an anti-abortion group, Cornerstone Action, which paid for negative mailers against him.

Assuming the current majority is maintained, I think we will see increasingly radical legislation, said Allard, who sees this effort as an outgrowth of whats happened with the libertarian Free State Movement. The number of Free Staters occupying seats in the House has grown steadily, and its now a significant block that can both generate legislation and certainly can pass or defeat legislation.

When you look at how many other very experienced legislators opted not to run this time, it just opened the floodgates of opportunity for more radical views to come to the fore, Allard said.

Replacing moderate Republicans with those who are further right would also affect other policy fights.

Allard had supported an exception to the states 24-week abortion ban, while Acton advocated for state spending and programs for mental health and addiction, as well asmore state action on climate change. Both were defeated in the primary. Allard blamed campaign spending, which sponsored negative mailers targeting him. He wasnt entirely sure who was footing the bill, and campaign finance is difficult to track.

Americans for Prosperity state director Greg Moore said the organization did not pay for any negative mail.

Unprecedented amounts of money were spent in this small New Hampshire rural district in order to unseat me, Allard said. Were talking major expenditures.

Americans for Prosperity has roughly doubled the $79,588 it spent on the 2020 primary, spending $171,505 in 2022 so far. In 2020, Americans for Prosperity reported spending a total of $847,217 between the primary and general election.

Were willing to try any idea as far as whats going to help us achieve our policy goals, Moore said. We felt as though candidates and elected office holders were more responsive with the prospect of an endorsement and thats true. Its working.

While Americans for Prosperity has had a presence in New Hampshire since 2010, it was only in 2020 that the organization began endorsing candidates and spending money on campaigns. Prior to that, the organization endorsed policies, not candidates, according to Moore.

Our view is, OK, what is it going to take to get this person elected? Moore said. So the amount of money we put in is what we think we need to spend in order in to be successful.

Twenty-one of the 25 candidates Americans for Prosperity endorsed won their primaries, according to Moore. Moore said the organization does not believe right to work is union busting, but rather makes unions more representative by forcing them to earn members.

Twenty-seven states have right-to-work laws, according to Moore. Five have adopted right-to-work legislation since 2004.

This story was originally published byNew Hampshire Bulletin.

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Campaign spending in support of 'right to work' paying dividends for conservative group - Seacoastonline.com

What does Wisconsins secretary of state do?

Wisconsins secretary of state oversees the acts of the governor and the state Legislature, manages public records and serves on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The SOS would act as governor if the current governor and lieutenant governor were removed from office or unable to serve.Whats at stake?

The race for secretary of state could determine the future of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Governed by six commissioners shared evenly between the Republican and Democratic parties, the WEC was created by Republicans in 2016. This commission provides support to local clerks and monitors compliance with election laws and accuracy. The WEC chairperson is responsible for certifying state and federal election results, excluding the presidential race, which follows a different set of rules. The commission faced heightened criticism after the 2020 presidential election. If a Republican SOS is elected, they may attempt to abolish the WEC and potentially seek to transfer its duties to the SOSs office.

Who are the candidates?

Neil Harmon

Biography: Neil Harmon joined the Libertarian Party in 2016 and is a former Democrat and Republican. He has worked in health care for over 25 years. Harmon serves as the vice chair of the state Libertarian party.

Party: Libertarian

Links: Facebook

Select endorsements: Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

Article worth checking out: Meet The Candidates For Secretary Of State: Neil Harmon (WORT)

Doug La Follette

Biography: Doug La Follette has served as Wisconsin's secretary of state for 44 years. La Follette started Clean Wisconsin and has focused on renewable energy since the 1970s. He helped Gaylord Nelson, a former Wisconsin governor and U.S. senator, organize the first Earth Day in 1970. La Follette was also appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the assistant director to the Mid-American Solar Energy Complex. He earned a PhD in organic chemistry from Columbia University and later became an assistant professor of chemistry and ecology at UW-Parkside.

Party: Democrat

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Select endorsement: Our Wisconsin Revolution

Article worth checking out: What to know about Doug La Follette, the Democrat seeking another term as Wisconsin secretary of state (Journal Sentinel)

Amy Loudenbeck

Biography: Amy Loudenbeck was first elected to the Wisconsin state Assembly in 2010. Loudenbeck has served as vice co-chair of the Joint Committee on Finance, chairman of the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board, and is a member of the State Fair Park Board. She graduated from UW-Madison in 1991 with degrees in political science and international relations. In 2020, Loudenbeck attended the White House Summit on Human Trafficking and served on a panel to discuss human trafficking in Wisconsin.

Party: Republican

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Select endorsements: Former Gov. Tommy Thompson, U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, state Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu. Additional endorsements listed on Loudenbecks website.

Articles worth checking out: Wisconsin SOS hopeful wants election control, won't say how much (Associated Press), What to know about Amy Loudenbeck, the Republican running for secretary of state in Wisconsin (Journal Sentinel)

Sharyl McFarland

Biography: Sharyl McFarland is a decades-long advocate for social justice and human rights. Her work focuses on such issues as voter suppression, racial inequalities, mass incarceration and homelessness.

According to the Wisconsin Green Party, McFarland rallied to close down the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, sharing an anecdote about the mistreatment of her at-the-time 17-year-old son.

Party: Green

Links: Website | Facebook

Select endorsements: Wisconsin Green Party

Where do the candidates stand on the issue of election oversight?

Harmon: Harmon says elections oversight should be taken away from the Wisconsin Elections Commission and given to an elected, non-partisan body, according to an interview with WORT 88.9 Madison. He also believes the number of commissioners on that panel should be reduced from six to four, with the secretary of state serving as its leader.

I think if theres any kind of shenanigans or people having problems with access to voting that, thats where the secretary of state should be the overseeing figure of that, he told WORT.

La Follette: La Follette says the secretary of state's office is coming into focus as the newest battleground to save democracy.

On his website, La Follette writes: Far-right politicians have proposed stealing power over elections in the hopes that they can use it to overturn any result they don't like. The state of Wisconsin has been a pivotal battleground in several of the past presidential elections.

He hopes to keep the Wisconsin Elections Commission intact to continue its electoral duties.

Loudenbeck: Loudenbeck wants to abolish and replace the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

This isn't a power grab, Loudenbeck told the Associated Press. "The Legislature should explore a wide range of policy options to utilize this constitutional office that is directly accountable to voters and look at what other states are doing and talk about restoring some traditional responsibilities, including election oversight, if appropriate, to the office.

According to the AP, Loudenbeck has been vague about her views on election fraud and whether she believes President Joe Biden is the legitimate president; however, she did say that the government is obligated to ensure a secure elections system conceding that decertifying Biden's victory is not an option.

McFarland: McFarland says the integrity of elections is being questioned and people demand answers.

The only way to have free and fair elections is to have hand-counted paper ballots, with routine post-election audits to ensure that every vote is counted equally and fairly, she told the Wisconsin Green Party.

McFarland supports a non-partisan election commission to end the WEC rampage of discrimination against independent politicians. She also says the electoral college is a system that does not represent the people and that a winning candidate should be determined by the top vote-getter.

Wisconsin's midterm elections are Tuesday, November 8, 2022. If you have a question about voting or the races, submit it below.

Excerpt from:
Wisconsin secretary of state: Your guide to the 2022 election & the candidates - WUWM

SPRINGFIELD For the first time in a quarter century, Illinois voters wont be seeing the name Jesse White on the ballot for secretary of state this November.

Instead, voters will choose from Chicago Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, and Libertarian Jon Stewart from Deerfield.

Listen to this story here.

Despite 88-year-old White announcing in 2019 that he wasnt running again, some voters across the state may still be surprised not to see him on the ballot. He had been a regular favorite, winning by large margins, including two-thirds of the vote in 2018.

This is the first time in a long time where its an open seat, Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, said. [Replacing White] is a daunting task.

White is stepping down after six terms as secretary of state, the longest anyone has served in that office in Illinois history. He is endorsing his fellow Democrat, Giannoulias, who served a term as Illinois state treasurer from 2007 to 2011.

Giannoulias left electoral politics after he narrowly lost a bid for the U.S. Senate to Republican Mark Kirk by 59,220 votes.

Giannoulias said it was his three young daughters who inspired him to get back into Illinois politics.

Seeing whats happened to our country, to our democracy, to our planetWe need people to step up and lead, Giannoulias said. I know it sounds cheesy and idealistic, but the only reason Im running is because I want to help people in any way I can.

He said the top complaint hes heard from people out on the campaign trail is how long the wait lines at the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles are.

Hes proposing a skip the line plan, an online appointment booking system, as well as an app for secretary of state services, which would allow users to upload documents and receive reminders on upcoming renewals.

In addition, Giannoulias wants to create digital drivers licenses to make it more convenient for residents to update their information remotely and avoid an in-person visit.

We can cut foot traffic at our DMVs by 50 to 75%, which again, eliminates wait times and eliminates the time tax that people are paying, Giannoulias said.

Giannoulias said modernizing the office is a top priority, but when asked what set him apart from his opponent, he brought up abortion rights. If elected, Giannoulias said he would continue to advocate for abortion access in Illinois.

Theres a fundamental difference between myself and my opponent, Giannoulias said. I think that the Dobbs decision was dangerous and turned back the clock in a bad way.

Republicans look to win back the office

His Republican opponent, Dan Brady, hasnt been talking about abortion on the campaign trail. He voted against the Reproductive Health Act in 2019.

Brady is a veteran lawmaker, serving as a state representative since 2001 and deputy minority leader since 2017. He was also the McLean County coroner in the 1990s.

Brady says that working in the legislature for so many years has taught him how to work with the Democratic majority to pass bills, and he touted his working relationship with Jesse White.

This is an individual I have worked with on legislation, human organ and tissue donation in particular, distracted driving, driving, defensive driving for seniors, Brady said of the politically popular White. So I have a good rapport with the secretary.

Brady did get the endorsement of former Republican governor and former secretary of state Jim Edgar. During a press conference last month, Edgar said Brady has respect on both sides of the aisle.

Similar to his Democratic opponent, Brady also has his own ideas for trying to reduce foot traffic to the DMV.

Hes proposed converting libraries and community college spaces into hubs for some remote services, like drivers license and sticker renewals.

We can replace some of the older, outdated facilities versus putting good taxpayer money after bad facilities that we just simply need to renew, Brady said. Community colleges might help us be able to do that in a way that taxpayers are already paying for.

And to cut down on wait time, Brady also said he wants to make sure each DMV facility is fully staffed.

Any senator or representative would tell you probably the largest office they deal with for constituent services is a secretary of states office, where the greatest red tape may occur, where the greatest logjams could occur, Brady said.

Before White held the office for 24 years, Redfield said the secretary of state position was seen as a political stepping stone to higher statewide positions like governor. He said time will tell if Whites replacement will use the office as a springboard for more political power down the line.

It does give you a position of authority, name recognition, chance to make a record and then create options in the future, Redfield said. I think its reasonable that both Brady and Giannoulias probably do have progressive ambitions.

Mawa Iqbal covers the Illinois statehouse for WBEZ. Follow her @mawa_iqbal.

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Tired of long wait times at the DMV? Candidates for secretary of state pitch how they would cut lines - Illinois Newsroom