Latest news with #SecretaryofState'sOffice
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Marcia Wilbur is running for mayor in Norwich as a petitioning candidate: What is that?
If you're a Norwich voter who is tired of Democrat and Republican tickets, you may soon have another option for mayor. Marcia Wilbur filed petitioning paperwork and got her petitioning form from the Connecticut Secretary of State's office on June 30, and submitted her signatures on Aug 5. Wilbur is waiting on confirmation, but she intends to run as a petitioning candidate for Norwich Mayor in this year's election. A petitioning candidate is an unendorsed candidate collects enough signatures from the public in their town to run for office. The petitioning candidate needs to collect a number signatures equal to 1% of the total number of participating voters in the prior election, according to the Connecticut Secretary of State's Office. Wilbur was told she needed 50 signatures, and got over 60 when she filed the collected signatures, she said. Why is Wilbur running for mayor? While a friend of Wilbur's first urged her to run for mayor about 25 years ago, Wilbur's multiple attempts to bring to Norwich a makerspace, which is a shared workshop featuring a wide range of materials and technologies, motivated her to run for mayor, she said. 'I noticed there isn't a lot of tech here,' she said. Wilbur also found herself in conversations about blight, and the controversy around Former Norwich Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow. Wilbur acknowledges that her opponents, Swarnjit Singh (D) and Stacy Gould (R), have experience and some good ideas, but they need better implementation, she said. Wilbur's background Wilbur has been in tech since attending Arizona State University and later Three Rivers Community College, graduating in 2000. She's worked as a technical writer, tech consultant, and developer for many companies. Wilbur did some volunteer work while studying at the Berkman Klein Center for & Society at Harvard University, for the MPAA vs 2600 case, and met Peter Junger, the lawyer known for Junger v. Daley, which resulted in source code being protected under the First Amendment. Wilbur was also an early advocate for open-source software. She's also an advocate for free speech, online privacy and security, and new technologies like AI, Wilbur said. Through this background in tech, Wilbur hopes to talk to tech businesses to bring them to Norwich to help with the tax burden. The city has plenty of smart individuals but lacks the means to train them for the tech industry, and the ability to keep tech companies in town, she said. 'There's not even really a place for techies to hang out,' Wilbur. What are Wilbur's positions? Wilbur wants to support education, including reading, math and tech. Within the city government, Wilbur wants to make services more efficient and possibly to offer services to other towns for revenue sources. Wilbur is weary about the high number of non-profits in Norwich. While some, like SCADD, own property but do not pay taxes, others are closely associated with City Councilmembers. One example is Shiela Hayes, who is a board vice chair for Sankofa Education and Leadership, Inc., Wilbur said. 'I don't understand the big push on non-profits here,' she said. 'They help, but at the same time, they're also cutting into the tax base.' Wilbur also wants Norwich to be an appealing living option for people who work remote jobs, improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities, and support tiny homes as a possible solution for housing needs. Getting the signatures When Wilbur got her petition signatures, she told people that she's a conservative and registered Republican. Despite this positioning, Wilbur said she received some support from Democrats who want something new for the city, she said. 'People are just ready for a change,' Wilbur said. 'Let's see if they'll come out to vote.' While Wilbur is confident she has a good understanding of local issues, she's still eager to meet and greet with the public through the campaign, she said. If Wilbur wins, she'll have no problem working with Democrats or Republicans, as long as there's reasonable discourse and reasonable decisions, she said This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Why is Marcia Wilbur a petitioning candidate for Norwich Mayor? Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
National Poll Worker Recruitment Day coming Aug. 12
PRINCETON – Midterm elections are not coming until November 2026, but counties both local and across the nation are now recruiting the poll workers needed to greet the public on Election Day and help them cast their ballots. West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner said recently that the Mountain State and others across the country are dealing with a shortage of poll workers. During last year's General Election, there were counties that had to fill poll vacancies at the last minute. To avoid not having enough poll workers during state and national elections, more need to be recruited and trained, Warner said. To help with this effort, National Poll Worker Recruitment Day will take place on Aug. 12. Poll workers are not volunteers, Mercer County Clerk Verlin Moye said Tuesday. 'It is a paid position and the average pay is a minimum of $225,' he said. 'That includes Election Day and poll school.' Some poll workers can earn up to $250 if they become a ballot commissioner that supervises a polling precinct. Mercer County is 'right in the middle' of the average pay a poll worker can earn, Moye said. 'We're trying to pay them as much as we can, but that's a lot of money,' he said, adding that paying the poll workers staffing the county's 43 precincts for an election cost the county at least $48,000. 'They're worth more than that,' Moye said. 'They're certainly not in it for the money. They're just civil servants doing their duty.' A poll worker's day is a long one. Polls open at 6:30 a.m., but poll workers have to be at their precincts by 5:30 a.m. And while precincts close at 7:30 p.m., a poll worker's day isn't over until 9 p.m. Voting machines have to be packed up and returned to the courthouse along with ballots. The ballots are escorted by another poll worker called a supply commissioner to help maintain the checks and balances needed for a fair election, he said. Moye said that every day is poll worker recruitment day. 'My awesome staff and I are constantly seeking and discussing the recruitment of qualified poll-workers in and out of the office,' he said. 'It's a continuous thing. We're always looking to recruit new poll workers; at least get them on the list so we can vet them.' Several avenues are explored to find people ready to apply for poll worker positions. 'When it comes to obtaining qualified poll workers, we rely heavily on referrals, networking, the media and advertising,' Moye said. 'The Secretary of State's Office is also a valuable resource of obtaining poll worker candidates through their website.' Workers staffing each polling place do everything from setting up the site, check in voters, help them use voting machines and help make sure voters with disabilities can access the polling place, Warner said. National Poll Worker Recruitment Day will be more than encouraging people to come to the courthouse and fill out an application, Moye said. 'But on Recruitment Day, we want to take the time to thank and appreciate our professional and dedicated poll workers,' he said. 'Our poll-workers are knowledgeable in election law and procedures and are the life blood of an election.' Poll workers do not represent any one party or interest group, Moye said. 'They are Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents and No Parties. They interact with and assist voters on Election Day and are one of our main controls in place to assure that our elections are held freely, fairly and with integrity,' he said. 'They work a very long day and oftentimes they have to deal with difficult situations and people, and they do it with zeal and a smile. Poll workers are courageous and resilient, working through snow-storms, injuries, electrical storms, pandemics and more. They get the job done and we really appreciate their efforts and dedication.' Residents interested in applying can call 304-487-8338 and 8339. People interested in becoming poll workers can also get more information and apply at Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@ Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scott County Auditor: Candidate Guide available online
Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins has announced that the Candidate Guide is available via the Iowa Secretary of State's Office for the City-School Election this fall and can be found here. 'I encourage candidates to turn in their packets early in the filing period to allow time for any concerns,' Tompkins said. 'We also have great resources linked to our website, including a video that explains how to review the full process with specific details.' Candidates must turn in their completed candidate packets to the designated filing clerks: the applicable School Secretary or City Clerk. The Auditor's Office does not accept these packets. The Regular City-School Election filing period begins Monday, Aug. 25 and ends at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18. The City of Davenport is the only city in Scott County that may have a Primary Election. Therefore, the dates and requirements for Davenport differ from the rest of the county. Their filing period begins Monday, Aug. 11 and ends at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mississippi warns of fraudulent business filings by scammers
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Secretary of State's Office urged Mississippians to be cautious of fraudulent business filings due to the uptick of complaints to the office. According to Secretary of State Michael Watson (R-Miss.), scammers are utilizing another person's name, address, or other personal information to create a fraudulent business entity. Mississippi traffic stop reveals 185 pounds of marijuana in stolen truck In most instances, once the business documents are filed with the Secretary of State's Office, the office is unable to adjust any information contained within the filing or remove from public record per statute. Mississippians may report deceptive filings to the Secretary of State's Office or the Mississippi Attorney General's Office. The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline is 1-800-281-4418. For more information or questions, contact the Secretary of State's Business Services Division at customerservice@ or (601) 359-1633. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Secretary of State unveils TextMyGov for Mississippi voters
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Secretary of State Michael Watson (R-Miss.) announced the launch of a new elections resource 'TextMyGov.' Mississippi voters may now access important election information and report issues via text message. By texting 'HI' to (601) 586-7600, users can initiate a conversation with the Secretary of State's Office to solicit guidance on a variety of topics. Federal court approves Mississippi legislative redistricting. Special elections will proceed Residents can text the relevant keyword to receive an automated response or a link to the Secretary of State's website for more detailed information. For example, texting 'Precinct' will provide voters with a link to the polling place locator. Additionally, the Secretary of State's Office has instituted a new text alert system. You may receive a text notification from the number 80946. Residents who receive the initial text message and opt-in will benefit from election alerts, which will provide important election information. Users may opt-out at any time by texting STOP. If you do not receive the initial text message, you may opt-in by texting 'MS ELECTIONS' to the number 80946. You will be prompted to reply with 'YES' to complete the opt-in process. The Secretary of State's Office will utilize this service to distribute important reminders in preparation for Election Day. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
