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Full Name: Alexi Giannoulias
What office are you seeking? Illinois Secretary of State
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Illinois State Treasurer (2007-2011)
City: Chicago
Occupation: Founder & CEO of Annoula Ventures, which helps Illinois- based businesses and startups
Education: Boston University, BA
Tulane University, JD
Campaign Website: www.alexiforus.com
Illinois has had the same secretary of state for more than two decades. How would you assess the state of the Illinois Secretary of State’s office?
All Illinoisans owe Secretary of State Jesse White an enormous amount of debt and gratitude for cleaning up an office that was mired in scandal and corruption and – above all else – for his tireless service as an elected official. But COVID-19 and the surge for Real IDs have forced changes in how the office needs to operate and deliver services. Doing so will not only improve the customer experience but also guarantee greater access and equitable service for all Illinois residents. Modernizing the office is my top priority. I will make more services and programs available remotely and online. For those who still must visit a facility, they will have the ability to upload required documents in advance to cut down wait times.
What do you view as the main role of the Illinois secretary of state?
The Secretary of State’s office is the largest constitutional office and has more of a direct impact on the daily lives of Illinoisans than any other state office. Officially, it is the keeper of official records and laws, but it also is responsible for the administration of driver’s licenses, state ethics documents and lobbyist registrations, the state’s Automated Voter Registration (AVR) system and the Secretary serves as the state’s chief librarian.
I believe in ensuring the efficient, cost-effective administration of these duties and tasks that will make our roads safer, strengthen the state’s ethics laws, increase opportunities for more qualified Illinoisans to register and vote, and make more reading and learning materials available and accessible at our public libraries are critical for the state.
During the pandemic, the secretary of state’s office was closed for long periods of time. Wait times have been astronomical. What will you do to make going to the secretary of state’s office less painful?
As Secretary of State, I will repeal the “Time Tax,” or the amount of time wasted in lines or filling out forms. I will implement my “Skip the Line” program, which will allow Illinoisans to make appointments with the Secretary of State’s office online or over the phone. This will enable customers to move to the front of the line instead of waiting for hours in line or on hold over the phone.
I also plan to add more services and tasks available that can be performed online, instead of having to make an office visit. I will introduce an app to allow people to receive notifications and renewals and upload documents in advance of in person appointments to cut down the time. Finally, the use of digital driver’s licenses will enable people to make changes to their driver’s licenses virtually, so drivers won’t have to make in-person visits.
What will you do to modernize the office?
I’m committed to modernizing the office to repeal the “Time Tax” and to shorten wait times and reduce lines. These initiatives will improve efficiency and make for a pleasant customer experience.
As part of that effort, I will:
Implement our Skip the Line Program. Last year, we announced a new program designed to cut wait times at Illinois driver’s license facilities. We plan to make our “Skip the Line” program available at every facility across Illinois, allowing drivers to schedule an appointment by visiting the Secretary of State’s website or, for those who prefer, calling the office. After scheduling an appointment, residents will receive a text message confirming their appointment with a link to check in upon arrival, allowing them to enter at the scheduled time and skip the line. Seniors and others with special needs would be given priority, regardless of whether they schedule an appointment or not. In addition to making the process more convenient for customers, the scheduling component will also make it easier and more efficient for employees.
Push for Digital Driver’s Licenses. Allowing for digital driver’s licenses and state identification cards on people’s phones will make it more convenient for Illinoisans to update their information remotely and avoid an in-person visit to a facility.
Introduce a Secretary of State’s office app that would allow residents to upload documents in advance and receive notifications about renewals and appointments, and access services and programs online to avoid in-person visits.
Offer digital assistance that people can access through an app on their phone that would walk them through a task – step by step – to provide them guidance and ensure their questions are answered. Guarantee neighborhood access by making more Secretary of State’s office programs and support available at pop-up offices and available to local libraries throughout the state.
Offer more assistance online, over the phone or in person, especially for seniors, those who don’t speak English and for others who need special assistance. My plan is to assign an “office advocate” who will help individuals throughout the entire process to make sure they get the help and services that they need from the time they walk in or call the office up until they have everything they need.
What do you think of Illinois’ current license plates? As secretary of state, would you seek to redesign Illinois’ license plates? As secretary of state, would you look to put more LLC and corporation information online?
I like the Illinois license plates featuring President Lincoln and the “Land of Lincoln” motto. The program for replacing the state’s license plates does not occur until 2027, which would be the first opportunity for any redesign. Any such changes would occur with input from law enforcement and the public.
I plan to strengthen the Secretary of State’s Business Services Division to make it easier for business owners to start a business and cut through the red tape by reducing costs and making it easier for them to get their businesses up and running sooner. Secretary White has made great strides in LLC and business services, allowing business owners to register their LLCs and corporations online without needing to go into an office to obtain their licenses. However, these services should be available to access from my proposed Illinois Secretary of State’s office app. Additionally, all business registration and licensing forms should be able to be filled out and submitted online, with an option for expedited service. Someone from the Secretary of State’s office will be assigned to help guide business owners through each step of the process to ensure they have everything they need.
What will be your top legislative priorities during your term, and why?
Implementing digital driver’s licenses and state identification cards on people’s phones will make updating your information remotely more convenient for all Illinoisans and allow more people to avoid unnecessary in-person visits to facilities. I plan to author this legislation and have it introduced during my first year in office.
To ensure more transparency in state government, I will advocate for stricter ethics laws to curb abuses by both elected officials and lobbyists. My ethics reform package would also require more transparency and disclosure when it comes to the financial dealings done by elected officials and lobbyists. I am the only candidate to have put forth an ethics package aimed at preventing abuse, which has been hailed by good-government advocates.