The Homegrown Optimist
Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer talks about Election Reform, Voter Fraud and the,
1-2-3’s to beating DFLers
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Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer speaks to the Full Committee Meeting about grassroots politics.
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In the brief six years since being elected Minnesota's Secretary of State, Mary Kiffmeyer has established a reputation for two trademarks: red business suits and constant travel. Dressed in one trademark while hailing the adventures from the other, Kiffmeyer addressed an 80+ person crowd for Senate District 41's full committee meeting.
The Secretary of State catalogued her office's accomplishments such as new voter registration applications, an election judge guide now used as a template nationwide, and her work on the '10 Principles of Election Reform' while chairing the national organization of Secretaries of State. Kiffmeyer couldn't help but recognize she's come a long way from Big Lake, Minnesota.
Politically aware but uninvolved, Mary and her husband, Ralph, received their first Republican experience attending the party's caucuses in 1980 at the invitation of a neighbor. A mere four years later, Ralph Kiffmeyer--with generous work and support from his wife--won a seat in the state house in a district "Republicans don't win...and we did," Kiffmeyer stated. But the good fortune did not continue. Ralph lost his re-election bid and several more attempts to reclaim the seat. Both Kiffmeyers took two lessons away from the defeats: "One, you work just as hard," Mary said, "And two, I prefer winning."
By 1993, Mary Kiffmeyer almost wanted out of politics. She had tired of the "whining" by her fellow Gophers and the constant pessimism in and out of the party. "People don't want a pessimistic, negative message," Kiffmeyer stressed. "People, Minnesotans especially, want a positive, optimistic message that gives them hope." Kiffmeyer never lost hope for herself or the party, saying, "If I had, we'd have Buck Humphrey as Secretary of State."
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Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer and Lynn Swon discuss the prospects for Republican candidates in this fall's election
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Not one to quit, Kiffmeyer jumped back into the trenches of Big Lake politics, this time stressing the fundamentals of a positive, grassroots campaign. Previously a DFL stronghold, Big Lake suddenly began electing Republicans. The official confirmation of the GOP takeover was heralded by none other than the Star Tribune who classified Big Lake, "A solidly GOP district."
It has been this powerful mixture of optimism and grassroots campaigning that has made Kiffmeyer a fixture in the state, especially in rural Minnesota. During her yearly visits to all 87 of Minnesota's counties, Kiffmeyer has traveled to radio stations, cafes, rec centers, and nursing homes. She plays piano for constituents and sings songs with local legislators. She summarizes her connection with outstate residents with the simple adage: "Minnesota likes its politicians to be homegrown."
Mary Kiffmeyer also spoke on a variety of election-related issues.
* On 2004: The Presidential battle "will be fierce" and that the Secretary of State's office is already planning for a recount challenge as the state will be competitive.
* On national election reforms: 2004 is a "transition time" for many states as the reforms proposed in the wake of 2000 won't take effect until 2006 or later. But she proudly declared Minnesota to be "a chad-free state."
* Same-day registration: Voter fraud would be significantly reduced in the state if we switched to a 30-day pre-election registration period like most states. A number of cases of vote fraud from 2002 are still in the legal system and have yet to go to court.
* The newfound 'fame' of her office: "Unless I was campaigning, people used to rarely recognize me. But after 2000 and 2002 {with her role in the Wellstone plane crash aftermath}, I get stopped anywhere I go. The person bagging my groceries the other day looked at me and asked, 'Don't I know you?'"
