Secretary of State candidate Delbert Hosemann said Monday duringa campaign stop in Brookhaven that he has targeted three main areasof concern that need to be addressed in the office.

Hosemann has based his campaign on the institution of a voteridentification system, 16th Section land leases and theestablishment of a state Business Court.

The candidate said he had mixed feelings on a recent judge’sruling that ordered voter registration by party and theestablishment of a voter identification system. The ruling came asa result of a lawsuit by the Democrat Party seeking to preventRepublicans from voting in the Democrat primary.

“I don’t think you should have to register with a party, but Ido believe we should have voter identification,” said Hosemann, aRepublican.

However, he said if the ruling, which has been challenged, isallowed to stand, the secretary of state’s office must doeverything it can to ensure all voters are notified they need toreregister as Democrat, Republican or independent as quickly aspossible in order to participate in the next election. The rulingwill not affect this year’s elections.

Hosemann said he was in favor of voter identification,though.

“I think we ought to have it in Mississippi and it’s somethinglong overdue,” he said. “I’ve got to make sure that people who votein elections are certain their votes count – that they’re countedand not stolen or countered by dead people or unregisteredvoters.”

Voter registration in the state is too loose, Hosemann said. Theinformation needed now can be provided over the telephone and isnot even sufficient to prevent illegal immigrants from registering,he said.

The candidate said he also intends to lobby the stateLegislature for funding to create voter fraud investigators. Thereare none now, he said, but there are six investigators forsecurities fraud.

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and I think it’sequally important,” Hosemann said.

He would also like to institute a poll worker certificationprogram in state community colleges.

Hosemann also promised that within 90 days of being in office hewould publish a list of all 16th Section land leases detailing whohas leased what property and the terms of the lease.

Schools commonly lease those lands as a source of funding, butthe terms of each lease vary greatly.

“It will give us a base for all of the school boards to see whateveryone is getting for comparable land to get a fair value,”Hosemann said.

The candidate also announced his plan to lobby the Legislaturefor the institution of a state Business Court to allow for quickerresolution of business disputes and a faster flow of criminal casesthrough the circuit court system.

He said the Business Court was the next step in creating a morehospitable atmosphere for companies in the state and would continuethe efforts begun with tort reform a few years ago.

“Those three things will keep me busy, but I have some otherinterests,” Hosemann said.

Mississippi typically leads the nation in giving to charities,he said, and he wants to ensure that the “money is getting to theintended recipient and it’s not getting eaten up inadministration.”

The candidate has been active in several nonprofitorganizations. He was chairman and a board member of MississippiBlood Services, Inc., a board member of the American Red Cross andtreasurer of the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation, among others.

Hosemann said that should he win the election, he will step downfrom the boards of the charities, but will continue to be active intheir causes.

“I don’t think that’s fair, but while I won’t be able to stay onthe boards I intend to be very active in fundraising,” he said. “Ithink the secretary of state can do a lot by lending his name andinfluence to projects without being actively involved in theiradministration.”

Hosemann faces a wide field of candidates for the office thatwill be vacated by Secretary of State Eric Clark, who has chosennot to seek re-election.

Hosemann will meet fellow Republicans Mike Lott, Jeffrey Ruppand Gene Sills in the primary Aug. 7. Democrat candidates includeRobert H. “Bob” Smith, Jabari A. Toins and John O. Windsor.