As this year’s November 8 midterm elections draw closer, too little attention is being paid to an office critical to our democratic process: Secretary of State. At the state level, a Secretary of State plays a huge role in electoral affairs. The Secretary of State is effectively a chief electoral officer. These officials are heavily involved in administering and overseeing both state and federal elections. Their responsibilities can range from voter registration, to maintaining the databases of voter information, to facilitating the execution of elections.

Here’s what’s important to know now: as election managers Secretaries of State play pivotal roles in helping or hindering the cause of voting rights in the states they serve. Their importance was thrown into stark relief during the remarkable circumstances of the 2020 election. Secretaries of State in several blue-leaning states stepped up to expand voting rights by creating automatic voter registration systems, proactively issuing voter registration materials to eligible voters, turning Election Day into a holiday, expanding mail-in vote systems, and implementing policies to support poll workers. Several Secretaries in red-leaning states worked to restrict voting rights by closing polling stations, failing to deliver requested mail-in ballots, advocating for and enacting voter ID laws, and opposing efforts to restore voting rights for ex-felons. Some Secretaries of State made national headlines when they stood up to foil Donald Trump’s efforts to steal the election in critical states like Georgia.

And here’s the bad news: this critical cog in our electoral system is under threat from the same anti-democratic forces that tried to sabotage the election in 2020. In many states, the secretary of state is directly elected by the voters. Now Trump’s followers are attempting to seize control of these levers of power. Conspiracy theorists and advocates of “the Big Lie” are nominees for secretary of state in several critical states, and people—the media, voters, and anyone who supports legitimate elections—are not paying enough attention. Although Trump failed to steal the election in 2020, a second attempt could be even more dangerous in 2024 if these people are elected.

Known supporters of Trump and the “Big Lie” are running for Secretary of State in these states: Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Idaho, and Massachusetts. You can learn more about the candidates and their involvement with Trump’s election fraud here. If you’re a voter in these states, vote against these people. If you don’t live there, warn your friends and relations who do.

Social Media Posts:

Facebook post: Secretaries of State play important roles in conducting our elections, and Trump and his supporters know it. Proponents of election fraud lies are running for these offices across the country in hopes of influencing the 2024 election process: https://bit.ly/3KsTYE3 #TheBigLie

Twitter post: Supporters of Trump & false election lies are running for Secretary of State offices in hopes of influencing the #2024election https://bit.ly/3KsTYE3 #TheBigLie