Mauro running for re-election because of passion for job

By James Q. Lynch

CEDAR RAPIDS – Some people run for Secretary of State for an opportunity, but Michael Mauro says he's running for re-election because he has a passion for the job.

“I'm not running because I want to be a U.S. senator or something,” Mauro said in Cedar Rapids May 4. “I'm running because I have a passion for the job. I love it.”

Mauro, a first-term Democrat announced his re-election campaign at the Capitol in Des Moines, Mauro met with supporters at the Blue Strawberry Coffee Company in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Mauro, accompanied by former Linn County Auditor Linda Langenberg, who is his elections deputy, said he'll run on his record of accomplishment.

“We've accomplished a great deal over the past three years and now is the time to continue moving forward,” he said.  “I'm running for re-election because this is an important office and I believe I have the background, qualifications, and experience to continue making it work for all Iowans.”

As a former county auditor and elections director, Mauro said, he's spent more than 20 years running local elections.

Three Republicans are seeking to challenge Mauro. Former state Rep. George Eichhorn of Stratford, Chris Sanger of Des Moines and Matt Schultz of Council Bluffs are running in the June 8 primary for the GOP nomination.

He's not sure why there's so much interest in the job this year.

“There are lots of people unsettled and there's frustration with the economy, with jobs,” Mauro said. “Maybe they see it as an opportunity to have something good for them.

In his first term, Mauro said, his accomplishments include, leading the way in creating a voter verified paper trail to ensure fair and secure elections in Iowa.  As a result, Iowa has a uniform voting system in all of the state's 99 counties which means Iowans can be certain that elections will be decided fairly and accurately.

In September 2009, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Overseas Vote Foundation ranked Iowa as the No. 1 state in the nation in making voting accessible to our military men and women serving overseas.

Mauro claimed he's saved millions of dollars of taxpayer money by moving school elections to every other year and hundreds of thousands annually by moving the state's voter registration database in-house.

He touted the Pew Center on the States ranking his office's website as the No. 1 state elections website in the country. He's also integrated technology into the elections process and the business services division, Mauro said. He expanded his office's online capabilities to make the state more accessible to Iowa businesses.  Today, over 90 percent of UCC filings and 95 percent of biennial reports are filed online. 

Mauro worked with the Cerro Gordo County Auditor to deploy the Precinct Atlas electronic poll book system across the state. The program continues to enhance the integrity of Iowa's voting system.

Starting in the 2008 general election, all polling stations and county auditor offices in Iowa have an AutoMARK ballot marking device available to voters. The device allows people with disabilities, particularly those with sight impairments and dexterity issues, to vote at the polls in private.

 “My record as an elected official is about delivering results and I will continue to do that in a second term,” Mauro said.

Mauro also stopped in Davenport Tuesday and planned campaign events in Sioux City and Council Bluffs Wednesday.