Meet Louisiana secretary of state candidate: Gwen Collins-Greenup

LOUISIANA (KLFY)– Vying to become Louisiana’s first female elected secretary of state, candidate Gwen Collins-Greenup is making it known the motivation behind her campaign is supporters. She said the support she’s seeing throughout the state is as strong as the relationships she’s built.

“People are definitely on board with our campaign because it’s a people-powered effort,” Greenup said.

Greenup said she wants to be elected as the next secretary of state because she believes Louisiana’s current election process can be improved. She said her diverse experience working with people across the state and being a business owner are just a few reasons she should be elected.

“I have law offices across the state, and I’m ready to give that up to oversee our elections in our secretary of state’s office and help strengthen our businesses,” Greenup said.

Collins-Greenup said being able to listen to voter concerns has allowed her to target key issues to move the state forward when it comes to its election process.

“I’ve built relationships with many of the people across our state,” Greenup said. “And we all have the same concerns. And I think that we all want to see Louisiana in a better place and with secure elections.”

She said the issues she wants to tackle are strengthening business, securing elections and protecting voters rights. If elected, she said one of the first things she wants to do is have voting machines taken to different regions in the state for testing to ensure transparency with voters.

“I plan to take those the voting machines, once we bid them out, to allow the vendors to bring them to the nine regions of the state so people can have an opportunity to test them out and know that the bidding process was transparent there and that they know that we have a strong secretary of state’s office where the employees are appreciated for the work that they do,” Greenup said.

Greenup also wants to teach and encourage young people to vote as a way to boost voter apathy.

“I believe that teaching our children why it’s important to vote, how to vote, and how voting is the way that we make change in our community, in our state will help them become chronic voters.”

She said her diverse experience in government, working in elections, practicing as an attorney with law offices across the state and working with nonprofits has shaped her into a well-rounded candidate who will continue serving the people of Louisiana.

“So, what I would do is continue being a person facing the secretary state, much like I’m doing with my campaign,” Greenup said. “I have an open-door policy where if people have concerns about our elections, they can schedule an appointment with me and come in and let’s talk about it.”

Election day is Nov. 18 with early voting ending this Saturday, Nov. 11.