There are several top positions up for grabs in Alabama in the 2022 election. There will be a governor race, a Senate race and a Secretary of State race, among others.
When a candidate comes forward to run for Secretary of State, it serves as a great reminder of the critical nature of secure and trustworthy elections. Not only must the current processes and of holding an election be secure from compromising votes, but future legislation must also seek to make it impervious to cheating or the slow chipping away of voter integrity.
State Rep. Wes Allen (R-Troy) announced his plans to run for Alabama’s next Secretary of State. He recently spoke at the Inverness Republican women’s club, presenting his background and qualifications, while also taking questions about his position on the current election process in the state.
Allen said he has experience in two vital areas in order to understand the full range of securing elections. He has served as probate judge in Pike County, which he pointed out is the office that oversees the administration of elections at the county level.
“I know what it’s like to be at the courthouse at 5:30 a.m., to answer telephones, proof the ballots and print the ballots, collect the ballots, appoint and train the poll workers, and to visit the precincts on election day,” said Allen. “Experience and passion is what it’s going to take, and I’ve got that to serve as secretary of state”
Allen said he has the legislative experience to bring to the table as well since he has been serving as a state representative since 2018. He brought up the example of a federal judge trying in 2020 to implement curbside voting for the presidential election. That effort was shut down by the U.S. Supreme Court after current Secretary of State John Merrill challenged that judge’s ruling. Allen said that after the judge’s attempt, he sponsored a bill that would put a ban on curbside voting on the books. That bill was passed and made into state law.
“Imagine going to where you normally vote and a ballot is being walked out the door of the precinct to a car, your secret ballot is now gone,” said Allen. “Chain of custody is compromised. Chain of custody is of utmost importance. We cannot give an inch when it comes to making sure that this liberal agenda to weaken our elections laws take place. Not only do you measure success by what legislation is passed, but by what legislation is defeated, like “No excuse absentee ballot voting” using COVID-19 as a pretext to not follow the law. We see these types of proposals in the legislative process even in Alabama. Not one more inch, in my opinion, is where we need to be. That is where I put my flag in the ground.”
Allen is in favor of election day voting only. No early voting. No mail-in voting. No ballot harvesting.
Some questions asked by those attending the luncheon were regarding:
Allen said this is where voters must elect a state attorney general who will enforce the current laws within the state, and defend laws passed by the legislature. He cited the recent move in New York city to allow illegal aliens to vote within the city election and hopes the citizens there will take action to uphold their State Constitution which defines who can or cannot vote.
“What were we just talking about?” said Allen, “Not one inch. If it starts there it will spread to another city and then another. What happens when liberals ask for an inch?”
