SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of state candidates Alexi Giannoulias, a Chicago Democrat and former state treasurer, and Dan Brady, a Republican state consultant from Bloomington, every spent 45 minutes earlier than a panel organized by the Illinois Related Press Media Editors in latest weeks.
Listed here are a few of their stances and statements concerning elections, libraries and different subjects.
ELECTIONS: In Illinois, the secretary of state’s workplace doesn’t have a lot to do with elections, other than administering the state’s computerized voter registration program. Most election administration is finished via the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Giannoulias mentioned he wish to make the automated registration system one which voters should decide out of once they get a driver’s license or ID, somewhat than one they need to decide into. He’d additionally prefer to move laws permitting pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Democratic Illinois Secretary of State candidate Alexander Giannoulias talks in regards to the race on Tuesday, Oct. 4, with members of the Illinois Related Press Media Editors and different journalists.
On the subject of election integrity, he mentioned his workplace would “proceed to push again on dangerously false election deniers.”
Brady, in the meantime, mentioned he’d prefer to coordinate the secretary of state’s demise document database with its driver’s license system and voter rolls to purge these techniques of knowledge on deceased people. He’d additionally prefer to accomplice with native election authorities to make sure elections and mail-in voting run easily.
Republican Illinois Secretary of State candidate state Rep. Dan Brady talks in regards to the race on Wednesday, Sept. 28, with members of the Illinois Related Press Media Editors and different journalists. Brady is operating towards Democrat Alexander Giannoulias within the Nov. 8 election.
He mentioned he didn’t consider there was rampant voter fraud and he believed Joe Biden to be the rightly elected president. However he additionally mentioned the secretary of state’s workplace at the moment supplies signatures to election authorities to allow them to match them with a voter’s signature, and he’d look to offer driver’s license images with these signatures.
“Actually, we now have to have permission which that voter would enable, a person would enable, an image from their ID card or their driver’s license,” he mentioned. “However that will surely give a extra enhanced visible for an election choose and, secondly, would reduce down on any kind of debate or debate, if you’ll, on whether or not that is really his or her signature.”
LIBRARIES: The secretary of state can also be Illinois’ chief librarian. Brady mentioned he’d prefer to see libraries as a distant web site for driver service services. Giannoulias mentioned he’d prefer to see kiosks and pop-up places of work in these services as nicely.
Giannoulias mentioned he’d attempt to work with lawmakers to provide the workplace authority to barter charges charged by publishers to libraries for using their supplies. He mentioned as secretary he’d do every little thing in his energy, “whether or not it requires laws, whether or not it is utilizing the bully pulpit of our workplace,” to remove ebook bans. He’d additionally attempt to go to as lots of the state’s libraries as doable.
Republican Dan Brady and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias are each vying to be the subsequent secretary of state.
ORGAN DONATION: Certainly one of retiring Secretary of State Jesse White’s main initiatives was growing organ and tissue donation participation. Brady mentioned he labored with White on points equivalent to increasing that program to 16- and 17-year-olds.
His expertise working with the secretary and serving as coroner in McLean County and as accomplice in a Bloomington funeral house give him perception as to how he can enhance this system additional, he mentioned, noting efforts to coach the general public could possibly be improved.
Giannoulias mentioned training may enhance there as nicely, particularly in minority communities “that do not actually belief the system or there is a stigma culturally in sure communities.”
“So I feel getting out to those communities and reinforcing the ability of organ donors and the way it can actually save lives will probably be essential,” Giannoulias mentioned.
SAFE DRIVING: There have been greater than 1,300 deadly crashes in Illinois in 2021, probably the most since 2005.
Brady mentioned he’d contemplate modifications to the motive force’s training curriculum, maybe partnering with non-public entities that present harmful scenario-based coaching. He mentioned he’d additionally prefer to ship secretary of state cops to driver’s training programs all through the state to assist in training.
He mentioned he additionally sponsored a legislation permitting seniors to take licensed driver security programs on-line, doubtlessly qualifying themselves for insurance coverage reductions and bettering highway security.
Giannoulias mentioned he’d look to make use of the “bully pulpit” of the workplace to higher educate Illinoisans on secure and distracted driving, however he additionally famous he’d contemplate working with lawmakers for brand spanking new, unspecified legal guidelines to enhance security. In any other case, he mentioned, a lot of it comes all the way down to imposing present legislation.
75-PLUS DRIVER TEST: Each candidates mentioned they’d contemplate modifications to Illinois legislation because it pertains to necessary on-road driving assessments for people aged 75 and older.
“I’ve actually mentioned that I’d have a look at that specific coverage barring some kind of medical challenge with these people,” Brady mentioned.
Giannoulias mentioned he’d look at research on this challenge, however highway security can be paramount.
OTHER ISSUES: The secretary of state additionally operates a police pressure and bomb squad, polices securities fraud, oversees registration of companies and registers lobbyists.
“And the operations of the workplace, from the index division to simply attempting to change into a notary public, to Capitol safety we’re speaking about, there’s areas and room for enchancment,” Brady mentioned. “And I feel it actually begins with having a secretary who’s going to be engaged and concerned every day on a few of these main points.”
He famous he’d solicit recommendation from present staff, which he mentioned he’s discovered within the Basic Meeting typically have one of the best concepts for bettering issues.
Giannoulias particularly famous he’d like to rent extra investigators, auditors and legal professionals within the securities division. He’d additionally like to enhance ethics legal guidelines in terms of lobbying and spouses of elected officers lobbying.
Whereas Giannoulias mentioned he’s a believer in requiring extra transparency from elected state officers, he doesn’t plan to launch tax returns, as a result of “my spouse and I’ve some issues that she needs to maintain non-public, which I respect.” He famous he’d fill out all required disclosure experiences. Brady mentioned he would launch tax returns, however he had not completed in order of Wednesday.
Giannoulias mentioned he’d additionally prefer to “make it as simple as doable” to start out a enterprise by bettering the state’s enterprise providers division. He additionally mentioned he’d look to repeal a legislation making it unlawful to hold objects on a rearview mirror and look to make it simpler for individuals exiting jail to acquire a state ID.