Secretary of State candidate Jim Zeigler (R) announced that he will make an announcement on Tuesday at an event in Opelika. Zeigler is in the Republican primary runoff on June 21 against Wes Allen.
The Republican Women of East Alabama have invited Zeigler, the State Auditor, to be their featured speaker. The event will be held at Durango Mexican Grill, at 1706 Frederick Road, Opelika at 11:30 a.m. central time. The public and media are invited. A news conference will follow the speech.
Zeigler said that he is running for Secretary of State to be a "Watchman" over election integrity:
"As your State Auditor, I served as your Watchman against government waste and corruption. I won the ethics complaint that caused then Gov. Robert Bentley's resignation,” Zeigler said. “I led the citizen groups that successfully blocked the I-10 toll charge, the $3 billion prison rental scheme, and Amendment One that would have taken away your right to vote for Alabama State Board of Education. As your Secretary of State, I can serve as your Watchman against ballot harvesting, non-citizens voting, and election manipulation."
Zeigler is now term-limited and cannot run for a third consecutive term as State Auditor.
“Over the next eight years, the job of [Secretary of State] will be vital,” Zeigler said. “We face national attempts to manipulate election procedures. We face attempts to allow non-citizens to vote. Only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections. We face efforts to change election day into election week or election month. We need to be vigilant against those who would vote early and often. We face assaults against our requirements for photo voter ID. We face ballot harvesting; automatic voter registration on election day; drive-by drop-off ballot boxes; and voting by mail. A vote for Zeigler is a vote against all of these manipulations.”
Zeigler won 43% in the primary, leading Rep. Wes Allen at 39% in a four-candidate field. They face each other in the June 21 runoff.
Current Secretary of State John H. Merrill (R) is term-limited from running for a third consecutive term.
The winner of the June 21 Republican primary will face both Democratic nominee Pamela LaFitte of Mobile and Libertarian Jason “Matt” Shelby in the November general election.
If you voted in this year’s Democratic primary, you are ineligible to participate in the Republican primary runoff. Every other registered voter in the state can vote in the Republican primary runoff as Alabama has no party registration.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandon.moseley@1819News.com.
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