With admittedly similar platforms, the three candidates for Mississippi secretary of state, speaking Tuesday in Columbus, focused primarily on how their past experience would aid them in following through with their agendas.

Former Columbus Mayor Jeffrey Rupp, along with the two other Republican candidates for the office, Attorney Delbert Hosemann and State Representative Mike Lott, spoke for 15 minutes each to a crowd packed into the Magnolia Room at the Columbus Holiday Inn for Tuesday's Lowndes County Republican Women meeting.

“You know we've never had a Republican secretary of state.” Rupp said. “Not only do we have a good shot at it this time, but I can tell you without reservation that you've got three good candidates. We all bring a different set of skills and experiences to the job.”

Incumbent Secretary of State Eric Clark, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election.

Voter identification and 16th Section land were among the key issues addressed by each candidate Tuesday.

On voter ID, Rupp - who was Columbus' mayor from 2001-2006 - recommended a two-phase plan that introduces a simple ID to meet immediate election needs, then works to develop a photo ID within the next five years.

“When you go and get your drivers' license renewed just have them stamp it with your voter (information),” Rupp said. “Then we need to make sure that those who don't have access to a drivers' license have access to some form of voter identification that is not an undue burden on them.

“If we put that four or five years down the road, surely we can do it in a way that will pass the legal challenge that we know is going to come.”

Lott said if elected he would work to get photo voter identification initially and could have legislation passed within the first month of the legislative session. “I don't believe we need to delay photo identification,” he said.

“It doesn't make logical sense to me for us to delay it. If we're going to have it, let's have it.”

Hosemann agreed that establishing a photo voter identification process would not be as difficult as previously believed. According to Hosemann, using the drivers' license would be the best solution.

“I went to the Highway Patrol and I asked them how many drivers' licenses there were in Mississippi,” he said. Hosemann found that while there are 1.7 million voters in the state, there are 2.3 million drivers' licenses.

“That's 600,000 people that have drivers' licenses that haven't registered to vote. So we're going to find it's going to be less difficult to make sure that every person has an identifiable voter identification process,” he said.

On 16th Section land, each candidate referenced the Columbus lawsuit filed by attorney Randolph Lipscomb and vowed that once elected, they had no plans to reopen the case.

“I consider the Lipscomb case against the Columbus School Board of Education to be over. I will not do any appeal action on that matter. I will not spend any more money or expense on that,” Hosemann said.

“I think its time and effort on making sure our kids are educated and people in Columbus are building up their school system.”

Calling upon his history dealing with 16th Section land, Rupp said that he was interested in finding new ways, such as development, to make money from the land without jeopardizing the welfare of the communities leasing the land.

“I don't think there's a city in this state that is more well versed in 16th Section than Columbus,” Rupp said.

“I understand wanting to raise money for our public schools. It raises about $50K. And while that seems like a lot of money, the truth of the matter is I don't know if it's the most effective way of raising money for our schools. Because what you're doing is we've gone back and we've started to shake down the 16th Section lease owners.

“There's something wrong, there's a principle involved there that I don't think the state should participate in. I think what might be a better way is to utilize the land to its maximum benefit.”

Rupp also suggested creating a board made up of school boards, the secretary of state' s office, lease holders and the forestry commission to make decisions on 16th Section land.

Lott, who was a school administrator before entering the Legislature, said that his experience as an educator would guide him in dealing with 16th Section land.

“I am a legislator; I am an educator and I am a small business owner - all three of those are important aspects of the role of secretary of state because, see, as an educator I do understand 16th Section land issue,” he said.

Lott said he planned to make sure that the boards handling the land were well trained in the law to ensure they understand what the law says about 16th Section land.

All candidates also agreed that much reform was necessary to improve the business code in the state.

Responsible for supervising public lands, regulating investment consultants and publishing the Mississippi Official and Statistical Register (the “Blue Book”), the secretary of state is Mississippi's chief elections officer and registrar of government lobbyists.

 

Link to article