Dear Voter,

I look forward to coming to your hometown to share my vision for the Washington Secretary of State's office.

Right now Washington State is ranked toward the middle of all states in voter registration and turnout (ranked even lower in young voter participation). A recent Elway Poll found that 71% of all Washington voters (comprised of all political stripes) said that most state agencies do not accomplish what they are supposed to. We can do better than this. It is my plan to transform the Secretary of State's office into a model state agency and set a tone for non partisan cooperation and performance excellence throughout state government.

In the State Senate, I have been a strong advocate for effective agency management as a trained business assessor of best management practices in the private sector. As Chairman on the Economic Development Trade and Innovation Committee, I work in close partnership with new industries, entrepreneurs and small business leaders to craft a new prosperous economic vision for our state. The Secretary of State acts as the storefront for business interaction with the state and we can do more to improve the relationship.

As Sam Reed demonstrated after the 2004 Gregoire/Rossi governor election, the Secretary of State needs to be someone who can withstand partisan pressure. I am known for my fierce independence, and I am committed to increasing voter confidence, and navigating the coming shifts in elections—from new technologies, to funding sources, to increased interest groups’ pressure on our system—with the same practicality, ingenuity, and boldness that has defined my sixteen years in the State Legislature.

As author of the election reform legislation following that contested election, I also bring the critical qualifications of hands on experience with and technical knowledge of our elections system. I was honored to receive the Legislator of the Year Award from the Washington State Association of County Auditors for my efforts.

After traveling across the United States and then around the world as a young man on a bicycle (good story), I returned to my hometown of Puyallup where my wife Barbara and I purchased the same house I grew up in and chose to raise our family in it. Puyallup is known for the State Fair and being one of the most competitive electoral districts in the state. It has been incredibly humbling to have been elected from my community five times since 1996. While we don't always agree on the tough votes I take, I have earned their vote by doing my best to act in the better interest of the state and be upfront about why I vote the way that I do.

In this race, I ask for your support and vote as well.

Best Wishes,

Jim