Message from Deb Dear Friends,  Serving Vermonters is the best job anyone can have. I have been honored to have your trust, and I thank you for your past support. I am pleased to be running for a fifth term as Secretary of State. Over the past eight years we have accomplished a great deal - but there is still more work to be done.As a nation we have seen how power in the hands of Secretaries of State must be used wisely and fairly. Across the country, voters' faith in fair elections has been undermined. This year I will have the honor of serving as the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). As president of NASS I will be a progressive voice for transparency in elections administration and the elimination of unnecessary barriers to voting. It is my hope that every American can have the same confidence as those of us in Vermont, that every vote cast is counted correctly. I am proud of the job my office does running Vermont's elections. This year we implemented an ambitious election reform agenda that included establishing a statewide voter registration database and the purchase of a telephone-voting system for our polling places to ensure that people with disabilities will have the same opportunity to vote privately and independently as able bodied voters. Our voter education and outreach programs are being used as a model for other states, and we have been working hard with the Vermont legislature to eliminate arbitrary barriers - like Vermont's voter registration deadlines. In addition to keeping our democracy running smoothly, we work hard to make government work for Vermonters. We protect consumers of professional services by ensuring that the rules governing the professions are clear and appropriate, and we quickly and effectively remove from practice those who are incompetent or unethical. We have made Vermont more business-friendly with our state of the art website that makes available everything needed to start or expand a business. We have produced innovative civics materials to help teach our kids how important it is to be part of our democracy and we continue to develop Vermont's records management programs so that we can preserve Vermont's precious heritage in our State Archives - ensuring that Vermont's government is transparent and accountable into the future. And we continue to be the place that citizens and local officials come to for help as they navigate our laws and regulations. In the coming years we will be expanding our web services to permit license renewal and business registration on line. We will continue to be national leaders in the area of civics education and progressive election reform, and we expect to make significant progress in designing a new, state of the art archives and research facility. Being Secretary of State is about making government work. Every couple of years it is also about planning for re-election. I hope that I can count on you for your support. Thank you,  | |