For Wyoming Secretary of State candidates Ed Murray, Kit Carson and Jennifer Young, their time campaigning is coming to a close. Though each them, has the same end objective, their paths to Election Day have been diverse. While both candidates have a foundation in the business sector they differ in their experience. Carson has spent 45 years in commerce with several different careers including mortgage banking and investment. “I spent 4 years in Europe in the 1990’s working with new economies that evolved when the USSR fell apart,” Carson said. “My commercial expertise is not only real estate and investments, but also law. I know as much law as lawyers do, but of course I don’t ever want to be a lawyer.” Murray has owned several businesses and holds a business and finance degree as well as a juris doctorate from the University of Wyoming. He has participated on numerous boards and commissions in the community over the years as well. “I know how to run an entity,” Murray said. “I’ve worked with numbers and budgets and personnel and look forward to serving the secretary of state in a manner that continues to be business friendly for business men and women. That legal education will enable me to be very knowledgeable about the functions that the secretary of state’s Office provides from a legal standpoint as well.” Murray also expressed a desire to further modernize the Secretary of State Office to increase efficiency. “I’m exploring the possible utilization of new technology that includes what is known as e-poll books,” Murray said. “It would enable people to vote in locations that are most convenient in the hopes of increasing accessibility which then will increase voter turnout.” Carson’s approach intends to enact the opposite. His proposition is to eliminate the use of voting machines, due to the fact they violate the state constitution, and return to paper ballots. “The state constitution proclaims that the legislature and secretary of state must maintain purity of elections,” Carson said. “We have voting machines here and those are not pure. They will not maintain a pure election, they have been hacked and programmed all over the country.” Also on Carson’s agenda is the instatement of a state bank as well as state investment in other forms of currency. Transparency was a key issue that both candidates listed as a focus in their campaigns. Carson plans to do this through monthly fireside chats on PBS that inform the public of what is occurring in the office as well as activities going on around the state. “My office would be open to the public for anytime they have a complaint about anything. I would be successful in any transparency that they wanted to see.” Murray’s approach is grounded in freedom of information. “Transparency in government is one of the pillars of my platform. I believe that our country, in order to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people, we must be a government that has transparency and so I will work in my capacity as secretary of state to insure public access to the government process,” Murray said. Carson said that he takes issue with the fact that Murray, a lawyer, is running for secretary of state, as this unconstitutional. “Mr. Murray who is a lawyer is no where near as experienced in business as I am,” Carson said. “Lawyers are precluded by state law, they can not be in the executive branch or the legislative branch.” In response to this statement Murray said, “Well I am not a practicing lawyer just to set the record straight. As you know Mr. Carson is entitled to his opinion. I just focus on my own message which is Murray means business.” Jennifer Young could not be reached for comment about her candidacy.
