Ruth Johnson

State:Michigan
Current Office:Secretary of State
Party:Republican Party

Should changes be made to the way Michigan issues drivers licenses as it pertains to establishing residency and citizenship?:
Michigan has a strong system for establishing residency and citizenship, with multiple requirements that must be met before issuing a drivers license. One area I would like to improve is the communication of these requirements to customers so they don’t have to make repeated trips to branch offices.

Do you support same day registration for elections in Michigan?:
We must protect the integrity of the voting process in Michigan. Other states that have adopted this approach have experienced serious problems with fraudulent voting. For instance, in one Milwaukee election, police investigators found over a thousand votes cast through the same-day registration process that could not be attributed to qualified voters. Therefore, I do not support same-day voter registration.

Are Michigan's checks and balances for elections adequate to insure ballot and election security?:
Checks and balances are important to protect the integrity of our election system. I fully support current photo ID requirements. I also want to close loopholes. For example, absentee voters are not currently required to show a photo ID. At the same time, we can and should make the voting process more convenient, for example, allowing people to vote absentee without having to check a reason. However, under no circumstances should absentee votes be counted prior to election day.

In many states the duties of elections and motor vehicles are in different departments. Should Michigan consider split them up?:
No. Instead, we need to partner with local government for lower-cost and better service delivery, and with businesses, just like we already do for hunting and fishing licenses, to increase the availability and convenience of services. As Oakland County Clerk, I have reduced headcount 20% and cut $1 million from my budget, while increasing access and convenience to services through this collaborative approach.

Biographical Information:

Gender: Female
Birth Date: 1/8/55
Birthplace: Oakland County, Michigan
Home City: Holly

Education:
Bachelor's degree in education from Oakland University. Master's degree from Wayne State University.

Professional Experience:
Small business owner, student teacher, counselor for troubled and delinquent youth.

Political Experience:
Oakland County Board of Commissioners, Michigan House of Representatives, Oakland County Clerk (current position)

Contact Ruth Johnson

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