Boschee vs. Jaeger, Modernization vs. Stagnation

Al Jaeger has had 25 years to modernize the Secretary of State’s office. Now Republicans, Independents, and Democrats agree he has to go.

(BISMARCK, ND) — Tonight on Prairie Public, North Dakotans will hear different visions from three candidates for the Secretary of State’s office, but one thing that Republicans, Independents, and Democrats agree on: Al Jaeger has got to go.

The most important issue facing North Dakota’s Secretary of State is bringing the office into the 21st century. While other states embraced new technologies and reformed their practices years ago to make it easier for businesses and nonprofit groups to operate, the inefficiencies and oversights in North Dakota have piled up.

Republicans knew this when they gave him the boot at their convention, but now they are asking North Dakotans to forget all that and vote for Al because they would rather have one of their own in office than a competent reformer.

Al Jaeger is bad for business.

North Dakota ranks 46th in wait time for business registration, which involves a complicated and outdated process for businesses just to receive their license. In neighboring states of South Dakota and Minnesota, businesses can be up and running the same day their application is filed.

Al Jaeger wastes taxpayer money.

For the past 10 years, Jaeger has promised to get his act together to finally update North Dakota’s system. But after a decade and nearly $2 million in taxpayer dollars spent, Jaeger has not delivered on the online registration system he promised.

Al Jaeger is not protecting voting rights.

The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy, but Jaeger does not seem to have his priorities straight. Leading up to the June 2018 primary election, Jaeger ignored a judge’s order to launch a program to educate voters on North Dakota’s voter ID law. Now, despite warnings from government officials and experts in the field, he’s brushing off cybersecurity threats to North Dakota’s election system.

Additionally, Jaeger has wasted taxpayer dollars defending unconstitutional voter ID lawsand then failed to reach a settlement with the tribe that was suing him, causing the lawsuit to drag on and wasting more of the state’s resources.