Mark Ritchie for Secretary of State in Minnesota

Incumbent Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie was one of the main factors that allowed a fair and accurate recount of Minnesota's Senate race that allowed the real winner, Al Franken, to take office. His honesty and careful attention to accuracy means he is a major target of the right wing who are angry that they couldn't stop the recount.

The Secretary of State Project has endorsed Mark Ritchie for Minnesota Secretary of State. Here's what they have to say about Ritchie:

Mark Ritchie is a true progressive champion. In 2006, the long-time community organizer defeated Republican incumbent Mary Kiffmeyer to take the reins of the election process in Minnesota. Since taking office, Secretary Ritchie has campaigned tirelessly for instituting universal or automatic registration in his state. He has also been instrumental in the fight to expand Election Day Registration in other states, including a successful campaign in Iowa. Secretary Ritchie is perhaps best known for running a scrupulously fair and transparent election recount in the Franken/Coleman 2008 Senate race. Senator Al Franken was certified as the winner of that race by a mere 312 votes.

Mark Ritchie has also been endorsed by AFSCME Council 5, Minnesota AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education, IBEW Minnesota State Council, Minnesota Farmers Union PAC, SEIU Minnesota State Council, and Teamsters Joint Council 32.

Mark Ritchie was named Most Valuable State Official by The Nation:

When this veteran activist ran for Minnesota Secretary of State, he argued that putting honest players in charge of counting votes was necessary to restore credibility to an electoral process that had been battered by Republican gaming of the 2000 presidential vote in Florida and the 2004 vote in Ohio. Ritchie won and two years later found himself managing the recount of one of the closest and most bitter Senate contests in American history. Attacked by right-wing media and faced with massive spending by national Republicans who did not want Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nominee Al Franken seated in a Senate where he would provide a critical sixtieth vote, Ritchie kept his cool. He ran a clean recount, emphasizing transparency and accountability, and delivered a credible result that survived legal challenges and gave the seat to the candidate who actually won the most vote

Let's help Ritchie continue his excellent work keeping Minnesota's elections fair and accurate. If you live anywhere in Minnesota, please volunteer for Mark Ritchie's campaign.

And everyone, please donate to the Secretary of State Project and their endorsed candidates.