Giannoulias has marked 100 days as Illinois Secretary of State

Posted on April 27, 2023
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Alexi Giannoulias has marked 100 days as Illinois secretary of state. We’ve heard the words modernization and efficiency from Giannoulias, so – in an office employing thousands of people  and long notorious for political patronage – that has to mean a smaller workforce, right?

Wrong.

“Our goal in modernization is actually to make our employees’ jobs easier, instead of someone waiting two hours to get to one of our employees,” said Giannoulias, who says the office employs about 4,000. “Our goal in long term digital ID, digital license plates, digital drivers’ licenses, a new web site, the ability for people to access their LLC or do business services online will be to make our employees’ jobs easier.”

Giannoulias cited electronic car titles as another example.

Predecessor Jesse White was the exception to those who use this downballot office as a stepping stone. Giannoulias says he wants to be secretary of state as long as it takes but doubted he would do it, as White did, for 24 years.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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