Tate For State, Issues

What Doris stands for as a candidate for AR Secretary of State

In my travels across the state, many people ask me why I have been re-elected without opposition for the past 20 years. My answer is that I am a public servant and it is my responsibility to solve problems, provide information and always treat ALL people the same. I believe that this is the role of both County Clerk and Secretary of State. Politics have absolutely nothing to do with public service. I have been re-elected for one reason only—to provide the information the citizens need and I have done this in a fair and consistent manner.

Another platform topic of great concern to the people currently working for the Secretary of State is whether they will have job security after the election. It is my firm promise to go to the capitol by myself. I plan to fill any slots vacated and observe the job performance of those left behind. It is important for Arkansans to know that I will keep my word and give those current employees the opportunity to keep their jobs.

One year ago this week I began my "City to City, County to County" campaign across Arkansas. I have visited with people from all 75 counties and asked for their votes because I am committed to serving them. A campaign takes a great deal of personal time and money. I am thankful for those who have made contributions to make my travel possible. As we near election day, every donation is deeply appreciation and no gift is too small. If you are able to make a gift of $20, $25, $50, $100, $1,000 or even $10, I promise you it will be put the best use possible. You may send a check (Click here for mailing address) or we have made it very simple to make a safe, secure donation by credit or debit card right here on my web site (Donate Now). Your gift will mean a great deal to me.

Remember, early voting starts May 3 and the primary election is May 18. I need your vote and the votes of your friends and neighbors (Volunteer). Please spread the word!

Duties of Arkansas Secretary of State

The duties of the Executive Office of Arkansas Secretary of State are at the core of our state government operations. Doris Tate will approach these responsibilities very seriously. Please take a minute to familiarize yourself with one of Arkansas’ most dedicated, trustworthy public servants.

Building & Grounds Division

Doris’ love of Arkansas history and her desire to preserve state historical records comes full circle with her desire to make certain our Capitol building emerges as a great testimony to the endurance and pride of the people of the state. This will provide an opportunity for Doris to demonstrate her strong organizational and administrative skills to voters. Skills learned and practiced while successfully managing multiple offices, staff, equipment and county property over the past 20 years (Sebastian County is one of the few counties in Arkansas with more than one courthouse within the county--courthouses are located in Fort Smith and Greenwood). Transitioning to management of the capitol building and grounds will quickly become second nature.

Business and Commercial Services Division

Due to the density of the county population, Sebastian County Clerk’s office staff in both Fort Smith and Greenwood courthouses experience heavy traffic on a daily basis. Doris personally works with court officials, attorneys, legal staff, and business owners to conduct records searches and information verification while also providing training and support for staff. Understanding the wealth of information stored in the Secretary of State’s office and how it is organized is critical. Doris will serve as a tremendous resource both for mining and preserving this information for generations to come.

Communications & Education Division

As coordinator for all city, county, district, state and national elections held in Sebastian County and a member of the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners, Doris has long been responsible for communicating election issues and regulations with the media and the public. Each election presents a unique combination of issues, timing, planning and preparation. Circumstances which Doris has had the opportunity to study and learn from during the course of her career.

As a historian, Doris has a natural tendency to share the wealth of information she has learned so that younger generations will develop pride in their state heritage. This same natural tendency will blossom as she is able to reach out to schools in 75 counties, inviting them to tour the capitol, providing opportunities to see and study historical documents and experience government in real life.

The State Capitol Gift Shop provides an excellent showcase for visitors to claim a piece of Arkansas history for themselves by purchasing books, gifts and other state memorabilia. Doris will strive to make the Gift Shop an attractive, inviting place for Capitol guests to shop.

Elections Division

As Governor Mike Beebe’s specially appointed member of the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners, Doris is already recognized as a very important resource and overseer of every election that takes place in the state. Her years of practical, hands-on experience planning, conducting and recording every single aspect of elections make her a trustworthy resource for 74 other County Clerks and for Arkansas voters. Monitoring and enforcing Arkansas’s uniform statewide voter registration system and overseeing training on the state’s electronic voting systems will be priorities. Doris will ascertain that the highest level of attention is given to filing campaign finance reports for the Arkansas Ethics Commission and maintaining journals and acts of the Legislature along with all incorporations and annexations of cities and towns in the Library of the Elections Division.

To understand the fierce commitment Doris has to protecting our freedom and our right to vote in a fair environment, we must go back in time to 1998. In that year, Doris had the opportunity to travel half way around the world to the country of Albania where she monitored an election after the Communist Party pulled out. Visiting face-to-face with individuals who had been political prisoners, locked up because of their desire to live in a Democracy, caused something to well up in Doris—a determination not to take the right to vote for granted. Fair elections had always been a top priority for Doris, but after personally encountering the sacrifices made by the people of Albania in order to live in a free country, elections became her passion. Doris carries in her a devotion to learning every aspect of Arkansas election codes; a personal commitment to check and re-check every detail pertaining to elections under her supervision so that Arkansans can vote with confidence.

This rare passion to protect freedom through public service is the fuel that will propel Doris as she performs the duties of Arkansas Secretary of State.

Fiscal Office

Doris is fully prepared to handle the management of capitol personnel, purchasing supplies, mail and insurance policies for the Capitol building and grounds. She will take the stewardship of spending tax payer dollars very seriously and will seek appropriate methods of savings whenever possible. As a servant of the people of Arkansas, Doris will repay the trust placed in her by voters by protecting their assets and providing a safe, pleasant work environment for employees.

On the subject of safety, Doris has had the privilege of working closely with city and county law enforcement agencies for two decades. She has been responsible for the safety of voters during elections and employees working in and around the courthouse. Both circumstances require special problem solving skills and coordination with law enforcement agencies to ensure a safe, comfortable environment for visitors, voters and staff.