I announced my plans to run for reelection for Illinois Secretary of State. After much consideration, I decided that
I will seek another term to continue to serve you and to build upon our many successes.
I came to this decision after receiving numerous requests from people around the state, including traffic safety advocates,
the organ/tissue donor community, and concerned citizens. In addition, my passion for serving as Illinois Secretary of
State is as strong as ever.
It’s true that the Secretary of State’s office is in a far better place now than it was when I first took office. Yet I have
more that I want to do.
But first, I’d like to outline some of our key achievements that made roads safer, improved customer service and restored
integrity to an office once beset by corruption.
We implemented one of the nation’s best teen driving programs in the nation with our comprehensive Graduated Driver
Licensing system. As a result, teen driving deaths have dropped by nearly 50 percent. We are producing safer and better
young drivers than we ever have before.
Our efforts to crack down on drunk driving have yielded national recognition, and have positioned Illinois as a national
leader. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has awarded Illinois 5 stars – the highest ranking possible – in large
part because of my office’s groundbreaking Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) program. I was honored
to receive MADD’s prestigious Legislative Champion Award for our efforts to make the roads of Illinois the safest ever.
Customer service at the Secretary of State’s office has never been better as we continue to streamline operations and use
innovative technology, which has led to significant reductions in wait times at Driver Services facilities. Recently, we
upgraded the issuance process and security features to the driver’s license/ID card design to better protect citizens from
fraud and identity theft.
I am pleased with the work of my Inspector General Jim Burns, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District, to restore
integrity to an office that had once been plagued by institutionalized corruption. We have changed the culture, set a code
of conduct for employees and provided Burns with broad power to root out misconduct and wrongdoing.
I am proud of what we have achieved in the Secretary of State’s office. But I have more that I wish to accomplish,
including implementing new technologies and further expanding online services, cracking down on distracted driving
through tougher laws and innovative public awareness campaigns and continuing our efforts to eliminate drunk driving.
I want to continue serving the people of Illinois as their Secretary of State, and I will be asking them for their vote on
November 6, 2018.
– Jesse White
