Endorsements, Opinion

Endorsement: Natalie Tennant for Secretary of State

From The Charleston Gazette-Mail:

In many states, Republican leaders constantly try to block voting by blacks, Latinos, college students, the elderly and low-income folks — anyone they think is likely to vote Democratic.

A hint of this effort came from the GOP challenger for West Virginia’s secretary of state post. Mac Warner attacked open voter registration, calling it a plot by billionaire George Soros to “have more voters for the Democratic Party.”

During an interview with Gazette-Mail editors, incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Natalie Tennant replied:

“You have a secretary of state candidate sitting up here trying to make excuses for why he doesn’t want to register people to vote.”

Warner also denounced postcards inviting West Virginians to register through the internet — but Tennant replied that the mailing was part of automatic registration changes authorized by the 2016 Legislature.

Administering elections is a central part of the secretary of state job. It is vital — and we think it should be a mission of the office to pursue the largest voter turnout possible. After all, that’s the basic element of democracy.

Incumbent Tennant has done a good job in the elective post, which also requires her to register businesses and charities. She has made other improvements over the years, moving more public information online, making it easier for veterans to file start-up business paperwork, pushing online voter registration.

Tennant comes to the job with the right attitude — help every qualified voter get registered.

We enthusiastically endorse Tennant for re-election in Nov. 8 balloting. Early voting starts Oct. 26.

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