Ed Packard, a longtime election official, announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Alabama Secretary of State.
Packard is a 24-year employee of the Alabama Secretary of State's office approaching retirement. Packard is a resident of Prattville who has served on the Autauga County Republican Executive Committee.
“Alabamians should be assured that their right to vote can be used effectively to choose the men and women who will lead our federal, state, county, and city governments,” Packard said.
The Secretary of State is Alabama's chief state election official. After hearing concerns from voters in Alabama, Packard said he is aware of changes that need to be made.
"We have a strong election system in Alabama, but there is always room for improvement, especially reasonable improvements that the voting public insists on," said Packard.
Packard said that while the Secretary of State is assigned many tasks under Alabama’s laws and the Constitution of 1901 - such as those related to business services, lands & trademarks, and adoptions of babies and other young children from foreign countries -- perhaps the highest-profile tasks are those related to the administering of elections.
“Alabama’s voters expect and are due the ability to vote in elections that are free and fair," Packard said. “Alabamians should not have to be concerned about whether our elections have integrity and credibility. We election administrators should faithfully implement the rules by which elections are held. And to ensure that is done, the Alabama Legislature should provide for post-election audits of all elections in the State of Alabama.”
Packard added that the U.S. Supreme Court has stated that voting in elections is the "crucial juncture at which the appeal to common principles may be translated into concerted action." As Alabama’s chief election official, the Secretary of State should lead the charge to remind the Alabama Legislature how important elections are in a representative democracy and should urge legislators to make commonsense and reasonable changes to ensure that elections continue to have integrity and credibility.
The Alabama Republican Party Primary Election is to be held on May 24, 2022.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandon.moseley@1819News.com.
