Sabo and Humphrey visit SCSU

Julie Sabo

Hubert Humphrey

Julie Sabo, who is running for Lieutenant Governor with Roger Moe, and Hubert H. ‘Buck’ Humphrey, who is running for Secretary of State, chatted with students when they visited campus Tuesday afternoon.

Humphrey emphasized advocating democracy.

“It is not just about waving a flag. It’s not just about writing a check to a political campaign,” Humphrey said. “It’s about taking a self-interest, whether it’s through taxes or tuition, or healthcare; there is a reason to be involved.”

Humphrey would like to begin a civic achievement program to encourage children to be involved with government at an early age.

“Civic achievement, not just learning the history of our democracy,” Humphrey said, “but also about how they can empower themselves and advocate for the status quo if they like it.”

When children realize they can move and change their community, they will continue to want to be involved citizens.

“We've got to get back to a positive sense that we’re all responsible in this grand thing called democracy,” Humphrey said. “Only if and when everyone's interested and involved will we get the highest expectations met.”

Voting Convenience
Humphrey would like Minnesota to have no-fault balloting, mail-in ballots as an option, allow early voting and to take advantage of new technology.

New technology would allow for electronic voting in election kiosks. He’d like to put 50 kiosks in courthouses around the state.

“Let’s say you’re from Worthington and you're up hunting in Erskin, well you should be able to vote right there,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey would also like to give citizens more information that will help them make educated decisions during elections.

"It would remind them that an election's coming up, then maybe they wouldn't get so discouraged," he said.

Fulfilling the functions
One part of the secretary of state's job is to guide chief elections officers in working with local jurisdictions to see that elections run smoothly and effectively.

Humphrey believes that same day registration is a wonderful convenience; however, there are other aspects of the voting process he would like to change.

He does not want to require people to choose a party in order to become an election judge.

"That eliminates 40-60 percent of Minnesotans who don't declare a party," he said.

“The business part of the secretary of state's office works with local county recorders in getting filing and corporations liens, real estate descriptions––all those things that make commerce flow,” Humphrey said.

"I think we need to have a secretary of state who's proactively pushing us in terms of how we can better function more efficiently for business," Humphrey said. "I feel like we're spinning our wheels."

Record keeping responsibilities include public records on adoption, proposed laws and implemented laws.

Humphrey believes that his master’s degree in public administration, as well as his experience managing teams, give him a good background for this job.

"Whether it's healthcare, education, social security or the economy, all those issues are just as relevant to you as they are to me. I think that's the most important thing for a secretary of state; to be out there, if not preaching, listening to and then trying to form a cohesive message about getting people involved," Humphrey said.

Julie Sabo
Sabo urged the importance of funding K-12 schools as well as higher education.

"In the terms of K-12 funding, the decisions we make today will be defining the system that your kids will have," Sabo said. "In terms of higher education, we (can) continue to go in the direction of high tuition and high aid or we (can) insure that we have affordable, accessible higher education for all Minnesota’s citizens."

Sabo wants to make sure that there is funding for financial aid and the institutions.

Healthcare
Sabo would like to work toward universal coverage for healthcare through programs like Minnesota Care.

"One of the primary drivers of cost are people who don't have primary coverage and then end up in the emergency rooms or with more chronic illness," she said.

Taxes
The taxes in Minnesota aren't as high as some may think. According to Sabo, the per capita cost of governance is going down.

"If we're going to maintain the economic engines in this state, which is education, both K-12 and higher ed., that there is some payments that need to happen," Sabo said. "The question is who they are going to tax and how. and we need to make sure that it's done in a way that the middle-class families are not feeling the burden."

Environment
One of Moe and Sabo's top environmental concerns is having clean, mercury-free drinking water from Minnesota lakes and streams.

"Immediately, we would reinstate the regulatory authority of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency," she said.