Opinion: More Liberal Failure Botches an Election, Taxpayers at Risk of a Big Bill for a New Vote

by the Shane Scholler campaign

The 2012 primary elections demonstrated again why change and reform are
vitally needed to restore trustworthy elections by replacing liberal
establishment politicians like Robin Carnahan.  In a too close-to-call
race that depended on a single vote, Carnhanan’s lack of preparation
and support for local election officials leaves voters wondering who
actually won Missouri’s 87th House seat, and taxpayers exposed to the
possibility of a costly new election. In another demonstration of
decline in Missouri elections, the political talk of the town was the
repeated crashes of the liberal incumbent’s “new and improved” website
for election reports from Missouri counties.

However, while Carnahan was botching elections, Missouri voters put the
stamp of approval on Republican candidate Shane Schoeller and his
reform plans for the office of Secretary of State.  Schoeller’s
campaign has gained national attention for his focus on restoring
election integrity and bringing transparency back to the office of
Secretary of State with common-sense solutions including Voter ID and
citizen-oversight of ballot language to correct Carnahan’s notorious
practice of “loading the dice” with prejudiced wording of issue
descriptions. Now under challenge in Missouri courts is Carnahan’s
deceptive attempt to offer voters pro-ObamaCare language in an upcoming
November vote.

On the mess in House District 87, Schoeller voiced alarm at what he
termed a “readily-avoided error” that now leaves in absolute question
the true election outcome. “As Secretary of State, I will work in a
constructive and close partnership with local election authorities,”
Schoeller said. “My approach will be one of consistent and non-partisan
work to ensure the most accurate and trustworthy elections that voters
expect.”

“Missourians are saying clearly that they want a new direction in the
Secretary of State’s office,” Schoeller said.  “Between now and
November, I will continue discussing our plan to protect Missouri
elections from fraud, help provide small businesses with user-friendly
procedures and resources, and put the brakes on the needless and
expensive red tape that is killing jobs, preventing job growth, and
putting Missouri further behind our neighbors in building a future of
growth and opportunity for Missourians and Missouri families.”

Schoeller is the only candidate in the race with experience working in
the Secretary of State’s office, having served as a top aide for
then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt. Schoeller lives in Willard with his
wife, Mendie, and their three children. His conservative positions on
tax reform have earned him the support of many Missouri leaders,
including former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Opinion -- Missouri Needs Voter ID

by Shane Scholler
GOP Candidate, Secretary of State

While Missouri conservatives work to protect the integrity of voting and elections, the Obama Justice Department is making yet another election-year effort to block more trustworthy elections.

In Florida, the liberal Obama Justice Department wants to derail Florida’s effort to remove unlawful names from the voter rolls. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder – whose own ballot was famously handed to an impostor who wasn’t asked to show ID – is way out front as an opponent of better voter ID. His agency recently warned Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner to stop removing dead voters from the state’s voter lists. Officials in Florida had uncovered 2,700 suspect registrations, and were checking these registrations. In response, Florida has said it will keep doing what it takes to clean up its voter rolls, so a court fight may be in store.

Meanwhile, here in Missouri, the 2012 Republican state convention voted to adopt a commonsense platform plank that every voter should be protected from having their ballot cancelled by voting fraud elsewhere.

In Missouri, we should wait no longer to establish solid ballot protection through photo ID for voters. No voter should be disenfranchised by voter fraud, inaccurate tallies or faulty voting equipment. As Secretary of State, I’ll work to enhance voter identification requirements to protect each voter, and other election systems.

If I am elected Secretary of State, my top priority will be protecting Missouri elections through common sense reforms like Voter ID.

Voter ID is a common-sense idea broadly supported by the public. It has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. In state after state, voter ID encounters partisan obstruction from liberal members of the Democrat Party.

Voter fraud is a true threat to the sanctity of American elections.  A Pew report release earlier this year indicated that more than 1.8 million dead people remain on voter rolls throughout the nation, and nearly 3 million people are registered to vote in two or more states. Missourians need a Secretary of State who will be a sincere and committed guardian of fair elections. The first step in this work should be photo ID at the polls, a form of ID used throughout society every day, for cashing a check and countless other routine tasks.

I look forward to the honor of helping to ensure honest elections and reforming Missouri’s outdated laws in order to protect the rights and freedom of every voter.