The following are comments from the Kansas Secretary of State candidates at the forum held July 31 at Fort Scott High School.

Opening remarks:

Keith Esau: He has been a State Representative for six years from Olathe. He has a carerr of developing and designing comupter software. He believes  the position requires technology expertise and he would bring that.

Dennis Taylor: He is a businessman, was a county commissioner, ran the state dept. of labor and state dept. of administration, and ” nobody else in this race has those credentials.”

Craig Mccullah: Has been the deputy secretary of state.” we’ve saved the agency $400,000 a year.”  He made it “easier to start operating and growing your business in Kansas.”

Question 1: What is the extent of voter fraud in Kansas and what can be done about it?

Esau: Voter fraud is less frequent in Kansas.  Voter ID stopped much of voter fraud. There is prosecution now to deter voter fraud.

Taylor: No one really knows, because nobody checks.  We need to audit eligibility.

McCullah: He went through the 2016 Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center to become the first voter fraud investigator in the history of the secretary of state’s office, and found that there is some malicious double-voting.  Voter education is key.

Question 3: What can be done to streamline business filings in the state?

Taylor: Work on each agency doing ” its own thing.” More cooperation between agencies, less infighting.

McCullah:  He built a system form finder to simplify.  If elected he is going to streamline it further to where one only has to fill out a name once and pay all fees in one spot.

Esau:  He will make forms easier to use and share info between agencies. This is where his expertise lies. He wants to improve interface on the web.

Question 3: What is the most important function of the Secretary of State?

Craig:  Leadership to make it easier, and get out front of the problem before it happens.

Esau: Keep accurate records and make them accessible. He got a bill through to audit electronic ballot machines with a paper trail.

Taylor: Management and he has 30 years of management experience in private business and county and state government.

Closing remarks:

Esau: He is a software engineer, has been in the state legislature where he sponsored election bills for fair elections. A technology professional, he knows how to work with government and citizens.

Taylor: There is a need to audit elections, and back it up with paper ballots, and to verify systems security.

Mccullah:  He will  protect the electoral process. He sees the opportunity to make the state the best to do business in. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of the job and loves the agency.