Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander

From SOS: Kander Announces Day 1 Achievements: Business Outreach Office, Early Voting Commission, Office Ethics Policy

Campaign Staff — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:34:23 +0000

Kander Announces Day 1 Achievements: Business Outreach Office, Early Voting Commission, Office Ethics Policy

Jefferson City, MO – Secretary of State Jason Kander today announced that in his first day in office, he has implemented three programs to provide improved service to Missourians, all at no cost to taxpayers.

“My goal is to build on the work that has been done in the Secretary of State’s office to provide even better service to Missourians,” Kander said. “These three initiatives will make it easier to start a business in Missouri, more efficient for eligible Missourians to vote, as well as give the public confidence that my office is being run in a nonpartisan and fair way. And, we are not spending a single extra tax dollar to work on these projects.”

Kander launched the Business Outreach Office to connect Missourians who start businesses with organizations in their area that may be able to help them succeed. The office, which utilizes staff already in place in the Business Services Division, will also help aspiring business owners navigate the requirements necessary to do business in Missouri. It can be reached at (573) 522-1338.

Kander also announced that he will assemble a commission made up of local election officials, other elected officeholders, business leaders, and additional stakeholders who will advise him on the most efficient, fair and secure way to allow eligible Missourians to cast a ballot before Election Day. Missouri is currently one of only 15 states that do not have any form of no-excuse absentee or early voting. Brianna Lennon, a former Missouri Assistant Attorney General who Kander hired to serve as the office’s Elections Counsel, will coordinate the commission.

Finally, Kander instituted a new ethics policy for his staff to ensure that they are best serving Missourians. Secretary of State staff will be prohibited from taking gifts from lobbyists and will also take an ethics training course to ensure they understand Missouri’s ethics laws before starting work.

Kander will continue to find ways to make all divisions in the Secretary of State’s office more efficient and effective for Missourians without using additional taxpayer money.

(Press Release from Secretary of State’s office, 1/15/2013)

Inauguration Photos

Campaign Staff — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 19:47:56 +0000

If you weren’t able to make it to Jefferson City for Inauguration, please check out our photo album from the events.

Inauguration

Campaign Staff — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:48:54 +0000

Please Join

Jason & Diana Kander

On Sunday, January Thirteenth, Two Thousand Thirteen

5pm – 7pm

Reception at the Secretary of State’s Building
James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center, 600 W. Main Street, Jefferson City

On Monday, January Fourteenth, Two Thousand Thirteen

10am

Inaugural Parade

11:15am

Swearing in of the 39th Secretary of State, Jason Kander
South Lawn, State Capitol, Jefferson City

1:30 – 3pm

Reception at the Secretary of State’s Capitol Office
Missouri State Capitol, Room 208

7pm

Grand March
Capitol Rotunda, Jefferson City

8pm

Inaugural Ball
Capitol Rotunda, Jefferson City (Black Tie Optional)

Please RSVP

Jason Kander – Serving

Campaign Staff — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 03:22:57 +0000

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jason Kander today released his campaign’s second ad of the general election titled Serving, which contrasts the views of Jason and his opponent on military voting.

The ad, which can be viewed at www.jasonkander.com/serving, highlights how Kander was able to vote an absentee ballot during the general election in Nov. 2006 despite serving his country in Afghanistan at the time. The ad points out that absentee voting by mail would be prohibited under a bill Shane Schoeller sponsored this past legislative session.

According to the St. Louis Beacon, Schoeller’s bill, HB 2109, would have made Missouri the only state in the country where mailing in an absentee ballot would be prohibited. Kander led the bipartisan opposition that killed the bill during the legislative session because it would have taken away one of the only ways Missouri military members stationed overseas or in other states have to vote.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted that during the 2008 presidential election 270,000 Missourians mailed in an absentee ballot, including 11,000 military voters.

“I spent election day 2006 in Kabul, Afghanistan surrounded by some of this country’s most dedicated men and women,” Kander said. “Like many of my fellow soldiers, I was able to vote by mailing in an absentee ballot. Shane Schoeller wants to take away that right for soldiers serving today. While Shane Schoeller wants to make it next to impossible for soldiers stationed outside Missouri to vote, I’ll work to make it easier for these brave men and women to vote. I believe that our next Secretary of State needs to ensure that those who fight to protect our Democracy can participate in it as well.”

During the legislative session Kander led the bipartisan opposition to Schoeller’s bill. Republican Senators Bill Stouffer (R-Napton) and Scott Rupp (R-St. Charles) announced their opposition to Schoeller’s bill, with Sen. Rupp saying “you saw national veterans’ groups coming out and saying this is bad legislation because its going to keep the military overseas from being able to vote.”

Missouri Newspapers Endorse Jason Kander

Campaign Staff — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:29:10 +0000

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri’s two largest newspapers today endorsed Jason Kander to be Missouri’s next Secretary of State, in part because Missourians can “expect his work as secretary of state to be untainted by politics or favoritism.”

The Kansas City Star and St. Louis Post-Dispatch both urged Missourians to cast a ballot for Jason Kander based on his commitment to public service and his vision for the office. The papers faulted Shane Schoeller for getting a no-bid family fee office while a legislator and for pushing legislation that would make it impossible for military voters overseas to mail in an absentee ballot.

The Kansas City Star summed up the race by saying, “The choice in this race is clear. Kander has fought for cleaner and more accessible government. Schoeller has worked to create barriers for others while using a flawed system to benefit himself.”

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recommended Kander because “Mr. Kander, a veteran and an attorney, has the intellectual capacity and bipartisan spirit it takes to serve as the state’s top election official. Missourians can trust that Mr. Kander won’t be owned by one, very wealthy donor. He’ll protect the right to vote, not auction it to the highest bidder.”

“I’m thrilled to receive the endorsement of our state’s largest newspapers,” Kander said. “Throughout my career in the Army and the legislature, I’ve strived to serve with honor and integrity. The next Secretary of State needs to be someone who works for Missouri families, instead of padding the pockets of his own.”

Last week the Columbia Daily Tribune endorsed Jason Kander in part because of his opposition to legislation sponsored by Shane Schoeller that would have prohibited absentee voting by mail, making it virtually impossible for soldiers stationed overseas to vote. The endorsement noted, “Kander wants to expand early and absentee voting. Republican efforts to prohibit absentee voting by mail would interfere particularly with military and other voters temporarily stationed outside their usual residential districts.”

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