In the Secretary of State's Office....

Election Reform

Our right to vote is one of the most important rights we have as Americans. The Secretary of State is the chief elections officer for the state, and I will make sure that we have best practices in place for our elections and re-counts. We have seen other states fail in their election process and cause much confusion and distrust in the election. I will work diligently with all County Auditors across South Dakota to identify our strengths and weaknesses and create a best practices template for everyone to utilize. As Secretary of State, my main goal will be to ensure that we have the best election system in America. 

Campaign Finance

The amount of money that is spent on political campaigns continues to increase each election. The citizens of South Dakota deserve to be able to search for candidates and contributors and see who is funding political campaigns. The more we know about the campaigns, the better informed voters we will all be.  One of my goals as your next Secretary of State is to ensure that campaign finance information is readily available on the website and in an easy to use searchable format. 

Corporate Filings

South Dakota thrives as a great place for small businesses to start. The first official act of a business is to file their corporate reports with the Secretary of State.  In this day and age of computers and technology, we should offer these new businesses the quickest and most efficient form of corporate filings. As your next Secretary of State, I will make sure that businesses are able to file their corporate reports, annual reports and other filings in an electronic format to speed up time and efficiency. 

Open and Transparent Government

During my six years in the South Dakota Senate, I have consistently lead the charge to make South Dakota more open and transparent to the public. We should be able to see where our tax dollars are being spent, what contracts the state enters into, and have easy access to public government records. South Dakota's next Secretary of State must help lead the effort to ensure that the public is able to get this information, and I will do that. 

 

More South Dakota Issues...

Agriculture

Agriculture has been a part of my life since childhood. Growing up on the family farm growing corn, soybeans, and wheat along with raising Polled Hereford and Angus cattle, I learned the way of the land with my father, Mark. Agriculture is the backbone of our state’s economy, and we must ensure the industry continues to prosper through ethanol plants, livestock facilities, bio-diesel, and wind energy.

Education

As a product of South Dakota’s educational system, I understand the importance of allocating the necessary funds to ensure that all of our children have exceptional opportunities. South Dakota education in the Gant family runs deep. My mother, Sandy, has been a computer science and business teacher for over 30 years at Geddes School and the merged Platte Geddes School. My sister, Lacee, is a Kindergarten teacher in Harrisburg. I even teach students through the Junior Achievement program. We need to increase our commitment to ensure that our children are safe on their way to school and while they are at school. Our school environment must be free from crime, drugs, alcohol, violence, and tobacco use. The state should continue consistent funding for the post-secondary technical and university school systems. The higher education system in South Dakota can provide the necessary schooling for our students to succeed in our ever-changing world.

Hunting and Fishing

I have been an avid sportsman since growing up near the banks of the Missouri River. A large part of South Dakota’s tourism industry revolves around the hunting and fishing industry. It is important for the state to recognize the rights and safety concerns of the landowners while still allowing the industry to grow. Individuals who choose to own guns for hunting and sport shooting should not have to worry about the government taking away their 2nd Amendment rights. It is also important for the state to continue improving the recreational areas near our lakes and rivers for the enjoyment of South Dakotans and tourists without adversely affecting agriculture, wildlife, or property owner’s rights.

Families and Children

Our family and loved ones are always closest to our heart. We continue to support and praise our loved ones through the good and the bad times. I strongly believe that we must help those that cannot help themselves. I believe whole-heartedly in the sanctity of the human life, especially the unborn, the elderly, the chronically ill, and the terminally ill. Respecting life is an endeavor that must never be diminished.

Healthcare

My wife, Chris, is a Nurse Practitioner devoted to the excellence of patient care. Chris has opened my eyes to the realization of the importance of quality health care workers. Someday they may be taking care of my parents or even me. I want to provide incentives to bring quality people into health care professions and keep these health care workers in the state of South Dakota. Another problem in health care is insurance coverage. I have worked in the health care industry for many years and have seen the costs of health care premiums continue to rise. Costs of health care continue to rise as more prescription drugs are available and with hospitals and physicians continuing to provide better health care through improved technology. I’ve also seen individuals drop their health coverage, with hope that nothing happens to them or to their family. We must take the lead to ensure that our citizens are able to receive the necessary coverage with reasonable costs.

Homeland Security

South Dakota must continue to develop a comprehensive emergency system in the case of terrorism, adverse weather, and other emergencies. Our law enforcement officials must be staffed and supplied with the necessary response tools to react to these emergencies. These emergency steps will also assist us in our goals of living in a drug and crime free neighborhood.

Jobs and the Economy

Our number one promotion of jobs and growth has to be those that utilize our South Dakota resources. By emphasizing our own resources, we are able to open up even more doors for new and expanding business and industry to grow. I believe that our South Dakota economy will grow and prosper by increasing our promotion of South Dakota resources. Tourism is another major industry that we must embrace. We must support our public and private efforts to increase the tourism industry, which will expand our state and local economies.

Tax Relief and Government Spending

South Dakota has a great tradition of taking care of our own. We try to take care of our friends and neighbors by ensuring that each resident is taxed appropriately and fairly. I believe that we have been taxed enough, and that we can look to conserve more money out of our state budget to find room for programs that will help stimulate our economy. We don’t need to continue to increase our taxes to fund programs. We can look back on what we have spent and see where efficiencies can be achieved.

Transportation

South Dakota must continue looking into the future by projecting the needs of our transportation system to ensure continued growth in new developments throughout South Dakota. Repair and maintenance are as important to ensure that our current residents have the infrastructure necessary.