Secretary of State candidate Delbert Hosemann said Monday during a campaign stop in Brookhaven that he has targeted three main areas of concern that need to be addressed in the office.

Hosemann has based his campaign on the institution of a voter identification system, 16th Section land leases and the establishment of a state Business Court.

The candidate said he had mixed feelings on a recent judge's ruling that ordered voter registration by party and the establishment of a voter identification system. The ruling came as a result of a lawsuit by the Democrat Party seeking to prevent Republicans from voting in the Democrat primary.

"I don't think you should have to register with a party, but I do believe we should have voter identification," said Hosemann, a Republican.

However, he said if the ruling, which has been challenged, is allowed to stand, the secretary of state's office must do everything it can to ensure all voters are notified they need to reregister as Democrat, Republican or independent as quickly as possible in order to participate in the next election. The ruling will not affect this year's elections.

Hosemann said he was in favor of voter identification, though.

"I think we ought to have it in Mississippi and it's something long overdue," he said. "I've got to make sure that people who vote in elections are certain their votes count - that they're counted and not stolen or countered by dead people or unregistered voters."

Voter registration in the state is too loose, Hosemann said. The information needed now can be provided over the telephone and is not even sufficient to prevent illegal immigrants from registering, he said.

The candidate said he also intends to lobby the state Legislature for funding to create voter fraud investigators. There are none now, he said, but there are six investigators for securities fraud.

"Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and I think it's equally important," Hosemann said.

He would also like to institute a poll worker certification program in state community colleges.

Hosemann also promised that within 90 days of being in office he would publish a list of all 16th Section land leases detailing who has leased what property and the terms of the lease.

Schools commonly lease those lands as a source of funding, but the terms of each lease vary greatly.

"It will give us a base for all of the school boards to see what everyone is getting for comparable land to get a fair value," Hosemann said.

The candidate also announced his plan to lobby the Legislature for the institution of a state Business Court to allow for quicker resolution of business disputes and a faster flow of criminal cases through the circuit court system.

He said the Business Court was the next step in creating a more hospitable atmosphere for companies in the state and would continue the efforts begun with tort reform a few years ago.

"Those three things will keep me busy, but I have some other interests," Hosemann said.

Mississippi typically leads the nation in giving to charities, he said, and he wants to ensure that the "money is getting to the intended recipient and it's not getting eaten up in administration."

The candidate has been active in several nonprofit organizations. He was chairman and a board member of Mississippi Blood Services, Inc., a board member of the American Red Cross and treasurer of the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation, among others.

Hosemann said that should he win the election, he will step down from the boards of the charities, but will continue to be active in their causes.

"I don't think that's fair, but while I won't be able to stay on the boards I intend to be very active in fundraising," he said. "I think the secretary of state can do a lot by lending his name and influence to projects without being actively involved in their administration."

Hosemann faces a wide field of candidates for the office that will be vacated by Secretary of State Eric Clark, who has chosen not to seek re-election.

Hosemann will meet fellow Republicans Mike Lott, Jeffrey Rupp and Gene Sills in the primary Aug. 7. Democrat candidates include Robert H. "Bob" Smith, Jabari A. Toins and John O. Windsor.

 

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