HANCOCK CRITICIZES MORIARTY'S RECORD

Republican Secretary of State Candidate John Hancock said Friday his Democratic opponent has not been efficient in handling the duties of Pettis County Clerk, which he contends should cast doubts on her ability to hold the statewide office she is seeking.

One of the key points of Democrat Judi Moriarty's campaign for secretary of state has been her experience as a county clerk. In 1984 as a candidate for the same office, Republican Roy Blunt focused on his experience as clerk of Greene County.

But Hancock, a second-term member of the Missouri House from St. Louis County, said at a press conference in Cape Girardeau Friday that Moriarty has not done a good job keeping voter registration lists current in her home county. The secretary of state serves as the state's chief election officer.

As evidence, Hancock displayed a chart with the names of 362 deceased county residents who are still on the voter registration lists of Pettis County.

"Voter rolls are never perfect, but almost 2 percent of the registered voters in that county are dead," said Hancock. Some of the deceased people still registered to vote died in January 1982.

Hancock said his staff reviewed Pettis County voter registration rolls from January to September by comparing names from the state's list of vital statistics that includes deaths.

Hancock noted that most of the names have now been taken off the list of registered voters. He pointed out that the number of registered voters in the county overall is down by 320, which means "it may be the only county in the state to have a decline in registered voters from January to September in this presidential election year."

The Republican was careful to note that he was not alleging voter fraud or trying to attack Moriarty's character, but only pointing out serious problems in the way she has handled her county clerk duties.

"I just think this is important information voters should know about my opponent who wants to be the chief election official of this state," said Hancock.

"My opponent for secretary of state is a good, decent, honorable human being. I am not trying to cast aspersions on her character or suggest she is guilty of voter fraud," he said.

Hancock noted that state law requires election officials to remove names of deceased people from voter rolls on a regular basis and to conduct a canvass of registered voters every two years.

Hancock said that having 362 deceased voters on the books could have provided an opportunity for fraud in a county of 36,000 people, because even 200 votes could swing a close election one way or the other.

"This situation reflects either a very poor administrative effort or a willing violation of election laws," said Hancock. "She was county clerk for 10 years and didn't do anything to correct this situation. Now, it looks as though she scurried around and cleaned up the mess after she decided to run for secretary of state."

He cited a similar situation in St. Louis earlier this year where a Post Dispatch investigation found 804 deceased voters on the rolls from 1979-90 and that 36 people had voted posthumously.

"I thought it was mismanagement when there were 800 deceased people still registered to vote in a city of over 300,000, but to have 362 in a county of 36,000 people - that's outrageous."

Hancock also referred to audit reports in 1990 and 1991 that cited Moriarty for failing to complete accurate minutes at county commission meetings and not organizing files properly. He noted that audit reports show that the record keeping problems were not corrected for at least three years.

As secretary of state, Hancock said she would be responsible for 312,000 cubic feet of records.

Hancock said the entire situation is "a symptom of mismanagement in a small office in a small county."

Discussing other issues, Hancock criticized Moriarty for her support of same-day registration, something he feels would "increase the opportunity for voter fraud at unprecedented levels."

Hancock said the state's county clerks oppose same day registration and that Oregon passed it and quickly repealed it through an initiative petition effort because of the abuses.

Same-day registration would also be very costly to implement, Hancock contended.

Hancock said he would also extend the hours of the secretary of state's office by using employee flex time to improve service to citizens.

He would also establish a one-stop area for citizens wanting to establish corporations so they do not have to make stops at different state agencies like they do now.

"The people of Missouri are not just our constituents and taxpayers, they are our customers," said Hancock.

Moriarty has criticized Hancock for his absentee rate during the 1992 session of the Missouri House, in particular missing most meetings of the appropriations committee on natural and economic resources and the committee on elections.

But during his four years in the House, Hancock said his attendance record is 97 percent. "I got into the secretary of state's race late and had to make some decisions. There are certain things you have to do and places you have to go, and if you don't attend them people will think you are not a serious candidate," explained Hancock.

He pointed out that the appropriations committee, which has 27 members, followed the governor's budget recommendations and did not have any close votes. The elections committee is chaired by Rep. Bob Quinn of St. Louis, who was seeking the Democratic nomination for secretary of state, and Hancock said he felt his role on the panel would be limited this year.

He noted the committee did pass one bill, an omnibus elections bill, which he wrote a major part of.

The 28-year old Hancock owns a media services business and is completing his doctorate in political science.

Friday evening, Hancock held a fundraiser in Cape Girardeau.