Secretary of State

JEFFERSON CITY — Mitch Hubbard, the Republican candidate for Missouri secretary of state, said the biggest challenge facing the office is to guarantee fair elections and stop voter fraud.

"Regardless of our party, when we go to vote, we expect to see ballot language that is clear and right," the 35-year-old Fulton resident said.

Valinda Freed worked with Hubbard during a 2006 fight against constitutional  Amendment 2, which allows scientists in Missouri to perform all federally approved stem cell research.

JEFFERSON CITY — Denise Neely has experience selling telephone book advertising, boats and real estate. Now, the Constitution Party candidate wants to use her organizational skills as secretary of state.

"She feels the need to be more involved in the political process," said Donna Ivanovich, Missouri Constitution Party Chairwoman. "She's very organized, and she wants to provide information to people."

Neely grew up in St. Louis, where she was friends with Ivanovich during their years together at Lindbergh High School.

JEFFERSON CITY — Compared to his opponents in the race for Missouri Secretary of State, Libertarian candidate Wes Upchurch is young — very young.

"Everybody I talk to is like, ‘Oh, it's the young candidate,'" Upchurch said.

But Upchurch, a 21-year-old Web designer from Columbia, is using his youth to mobilize young voters. He said he has seen an increase in Libertarian Party groups on Missouri college campuses.

Upchurch said he has been well received in younger crowds, but he wants to make sure all voters view him as qualified.

JEFFERSON CITY — Being raised in a family of politicians led Secretary of State Robin Carnahan to her own life as a public figure.

"I grew up in a family of public servants," she said. "At a young age, I saw that you can really make a difference."

JEFFERSON CITY - State representative Ray Salva and businessman David Knight are suing Secretary of State Robin Carnahan for misleading voters on the issue of Proposition A.

Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan issued a press release last Friday stating that she is defending Missourians' voting rights who faced or are currently facing foreclosure.

COLUMBIA - More than 150 disabled held a forum with statewide candidates today to discuss some issues that affect them.

COLUMBIA - Incumbent Robin Carnahan drew sharp differences with two of her challengers during a secretary of state debate Friday in front of newspaper editors and publishers from around Missouri.

The debate in Columbia was sponsored by the Missouri Press Association and was among five debates of statewide candidates taking place during the group's annual convention.

Carnahan is a Democrat who favors expanding the use of absentee and mail-in ballots and opposes requirements that voters present state-issued photo identification at the polls.

JEFFERSON CITY  — A group trying to restrict eminent domain is challenging the secretary of state's decision that two proposed constitutional amendments didn't get enough signatures to make the November ballot.

Ron Calzone, the leader of the group pushing for the eminent domain petitions, said Friday that he believes the secretary of state's office wrongly invalidated thousands of signatures that had been submitted. The eminent domain petitions fell several thousand signatures short of the required signatures.

COLUMBIA - Think of it as the domino effect: knock one over and the rest come tumbling down.