Anderson offers a clean break

In the past, our endorsement process has skipped over most so-called 'down-ballot” statewide races, such as Iowa secretary of state. But we believe this fall's contest for that office is too important to ignore.

The top candidates for the job are Republican Paul Pate, who served as secretary of state from 1995 to 1999, and Democrat Brad Anderson, who is making his first run for elective office. Pate also served as Cedar Rapids mayor from 2002 to 2006. Anderson has been active in politics, managing President Barack Obama's 2012 Iowa campaign.

This 2014 race is cast against the backdrop of the last four years, during which Secretary of State Matt Schultz spent $250,000 in a search of voter fraud. Some of that money came from the federal government to expand access to voting. Shultz's crusade netted a handful of charges and far fewer convictions. In many of those cases, the 'fraud” clearly was unintentional. A number of felons, for example, were confused by policy changes implemented by Gov. Terry Branstad curtailing their ability to regain voting rights. Schultz's drive to enact 'emergency” rules making it easier to remove Iowans suspected of ineligibility from voter lists sparked legal action.

It's been a sorry chapter. And although we admire Pate's record of service and believe he would be an improvement over Schultz, we think Anderson would make the cleanest break from the Schultz years. So he earns our endorsement.

What we like most about Anderson's candidacy is his emphasis on expanding participation in Iowa elections, rather than erecting hurdles in the name of fighting scarce fraud. We're intrigued by Anderson's plan for allowing Iowans to sign up as permanent mail-in voters who would receive absentee ballots for all local and statewide elections. We most like its potential for boosting woefully low turnout in school and municipal votes.

Anderson and Pate have differed over requiring voters to have a driver's license or some other form of state-issued photo ID to be registered and vote. It's an important debate, but the fact of the matter is, it's the Iowa Legislature and governor who will decide whether ID requirements are put in place. It will be the secretary of state's job to carry out what the Iowa Code directs.

And we'd like to see that job done with an emphasis on encouraging and expanding voting. That would be a welcome change.

' (319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com