(The Center Square) – Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, first elected in 1996 by a wide margin over auto racing legend Richard Petty, goes for her eighth term alongside a sixth different governor.
She’s challenged by Republican Chad Brown this time around.
Election Day is 26 days away, early in-person voting starts next week on Thursday, and absentee by mail voting has already begun.
Marshall made history 28 years ago, becoming not only the first woman to win secretary of state but also to win a statewide executive office. She runs on a record of cutting costs to do business, free enterprise and capital formation.
Her work has included reform on lobbying laws; transparency for businesses, investors and individuals; and prioritization of economic and technological development.
Brown says he wants to bring commonsense leadership to the office. He plans for “a robust economic development initiative to attract businesses, create jobs, and foster a thriving economy.”
His platform promotes his beliefs in Christianity, anti-abortion, the Second Amendment, and traditional conservative values tied to free-market capitalism, limited government, and individual responsibility.
Marshall earned her juris doctor at Campbell and her undergrad in home economics from Maryland. She’s a former state senator, educator and small business owner.
Brown is a former professional baseball player, drafted by Cleveland out of high school and Toronto out of North Greenville University. He’s been mayor of Stanley and a four-time chairman while serving on the Board of Commissioners in Gaston County.
The role of the secretary of state’s office is primarily to strengthen the state’s economy through the private and public sectors. It includes divisions for authentication; certifications and filings; business registrations; international services; a publications division; securities division; and solicitation licensing section. The State Board of Elections is administratively included, though it operates independent of the authority of the secretary of state.
