Secretary of State
October 6, 2023
The Secretary of State, commonly abbreviated to SoS, deals with information. According to the official Missouri Secretary of State website, “The office is responsible for collecting, compiling, storing and publishing a variety of state documents. The Secretary of State, as keeper of the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, authenticates official acts of the governor. In addition, the Secretary of State serves as the chief elections official in Missouri.”
John R. Ashcroft, Republican Party
Experience: According to his website, Ashcroft has been Secretary of State for the past four years. He graduated from what is now Missouri S&T with a bachelor’s in engineering management and got his J.D. from St. Louis University Law school. He currently works in Ashcroft Law firm.
Issues: Ashcroft’s key policies include changing voting laws to require a photo ID to vote, helping new businesses by simplifying the registration process and reducing the associated costs, and Reducing the spending of the SoS office.
Yinka Faleti, Democratic Party
Experience: According to his website, Faleti has recently stepped down from his position as Executive Director of the non-profit Forward Through Ferguson in order to run for office. Faleti has graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and from Washington University Law School. Faleti earned the rank of captain while serving in the US Army and served as a state prosecutor.
Issues: Faleti’s key policies include protecting voting rights and ballot initiatives, and streamlining the process for new businesses.
Paul Venable, Constitution Party
Experience: According to his website, Venable is chairman of the Constitution Party of Missouri.
Issues: Venable’s key policies include amending the Missouri constitution to allow for the statewide recall of all elected officials, conducting elections by hand-counted paper ballots, and abolishing Missouri primary elections in favor of the caucus system.
Carl Herman Freese, Libertarian Candidate
Issues: Freese does not have a platform with information on his policies. According to his campaign’s Facebook page, Freese is a member of the NRA, the Libertarian Party, and the United Church of Christ.