SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE STILL MUDDLED

Operations continue to appear muddled in the Missouri secretary of state's office. First there was Bekki Cook's handling of the House speaker's election that smacked of partisan politics. Then there was the bumbled state law that prevented Jo Ann Emerson from filing as a Republican in the special election to complete her late husband's unexpired term in Congress. There was the initiative petition that Cook said failed to produce enough signatures, but in reality she had failed to thoroughly review the petitions. And there was the primary election in the 9th District where the secretary of state's office designated the wrong candidate as the winner. Kenny Hulshof, the former assistant Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecutor, was finally given the primary victory, and he went on to oust longtime U.S. Rep. Harold Volkmer, a Democrat.

Another task that took far too long was the secretary of state's certification of the special election, which Jo Ann Emerson handily won, to fill the remaining months of Bill Emerson's term in Congress. This was the only special election in the nation for a House seat, and expenses incurred by the office couldn't be covered for nearly three weeks while awaiting the official certification.

A combination of slow county clerks in the 26 counties of the 8th District along with Cook's extended absence from Jefferson City were cited as reasons for the delay. But the fact is the special election results could have been certified quickly if the proper attention had been given to the matter.

The secretary of state's office -- Democrat and Republican -- for years was run with precision and with the goal of providing prompt and accurate service. Cook was appointed -- and since elected -- to clean up a mess left by her predecessor, who was impeached. It looks like there is still some cleanup chores left to do.