One of the things we’re doing on the campaign trail is visiting with the county clerks in the elections offices around the state. Former Secretary of State Phil Keisling suggested I do this when the two of us met a month or so ago.

Phil is a Democrat. He’s one of the most fair and balanced Secretary of States we’ve had in Oregon.

Many Republicans feel the same way about Keislings leadership.

When you’re a candidate you hear lots of stories about the elections department. What I’m trying to do is sort fact from folklore. I’m also trying to come up with plans to insure that only legal citizens of Oregon are voting and that people are encouraged to get involved. The initiative process is vital to Oregon. We need to make sure signatures are treated fairly and make the system user friendly.

Who better to help you sort out your ideas than the Elections Clerk. These are the folks who do the work, who live in the trenches and who see it first hand.

So far we’ve visited clerks or supervisors in Lane, Douglas, Benton, Jackson, Josephine, Linn and Klamath Counties. I love it because it gives me a chance to touch base with the experts and to meet the people I will be working with in the future.

When I was in television it felt like I would present ideas to people and as soon as the words left my mouth they’d evaporate into the atmosphere where no one would ever hear them again.

When you elect me Secretary of State, some of these ideas and plans we’ve come up with could actually be put into action.  That’s what keeps us going every day.