Ed Packard

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Ed Packard

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 24, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

Auburn University, 1991

Graduate

Auburn University, 1994

Personal

Birthplace

San Antonio, Texas

Religion

Methodist

Profession

Government administrator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Ed Packard (Republican Party) ran for election for Alabama Secretary of State. He lost in the Republican primary on May 24, 2022.

Packard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ed Packard was born in San Antonio, Texas. Packard earned a bachelor's degree from Auburn University in 1991 and a graduate degree from Auburn University in 1994. His career experience includes working as an administrator of elections with the Alabama Secretary of State's Office.

Elections

2022

See also: Alabama Secretary of State election, 2022

General election

General election for Alabama Secretary of State

Wes Allen defeated Pamela Laffitte and Matt Shelby in the general election for Alabama Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wes Allen (R)	65.9	925,267
		Pamela Laffitte (D)	31.1	436,862
		Matt Shelby (L)	3.0	41,611
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0	663

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,404,403
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Alabama Secretary of State

Wes Allen defeated Jim Zeigler in the Republican primary runoff for Alabama Secretary of State on June 21, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wes Allen	65.4	248,132
		Jim Zeigler	34.6	131,413

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 379,545
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Pamela Laffitte advanced from the Democratic primary for Alabama Secretary of State.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Alabama Secretary of State

Jim Zeigler and Wes Allen advanced to a runoff. They defeated Christian Horn and Ed Packard in the Republican primary for Alabama Secretary of State on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Zeigler	42.7	237,482
✔		Wes Allen	39.7	220,880
		Christian Horn	9.8	54,572
		Ed Packard	7.8	43,486

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 556,420
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Laura Clark (R)

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ed Packard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Packard's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Ed Packard and I am running to be your next Secretary of State. With my 30 years of experience administering elections and election-related programs in Alabama - with over 24 of those years in the Alabama Secretary of State’s office - I am prepared for the job of Chief Election Official of the State of Alabama. I am running for Secretary of State because I believe that free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I ask Alabama voters to vote for me due to my extensive experience with the Alabama Secretary of State's office. I spent 24 years and 7 months of my career working in the Elections Division of the Secretary of State's office. In that time, not only did I serve Alabamians by helping to conduct elections in Alabama, but I also developed a knowledge of the various duties assigned that office in the state law and the state constitution.
• I have a strong commitment to public service in the State of Alabama. I have helped the public with their questions about elections for over 24 years. I have worked with county, city, and town election officials -- probate judges, circuit clerks and absentee election managers, sheriffs, members of the Boards of Registrars, sheriffs, and city and town clerks -- for 30 years. I have worked on administering over 400 elections during those 30 years. I have always been committed to serving the general public and our county, city, town election officials in a respectful and responsive manner.
• I love the State of Alabama and serving her proud people.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1) Ensuring the integrity and credibility of elections conducted in Alabama so that Alabamians can be confident that o the results of our elections are accurat

2) Post-Election Procedural Audits – The Alabama Legislature should provide for post-election procedural audits for all elections held in the State of Alabama so that Alabamians can be assured that election officials are following elections laws and regulations when conducting those elections.

2) Integrity of Voting Machines – The Alabama Legislature should take action to prohibit telecommunication devices in our voting machines. This prohibition should cover not only conventional telephone modems but also Bluetooth, near field communication, and any equipment that would provide connectivity to the Internet.

3) Securing Personally Identifying Information – In addition to groups of Alabamians whose personal information in the statewide voter database is protected from sale by the Secretary of State, all registered voters in Alabama should have the right to protect their personal information by being allowed to opt out of the sale of that information by the Secretary of State.

4) Voting by Persons with Disabilities - The Alabama Legislature should provide Alabamians with disabilities the ability to receive their absentee ballot electronically as well as submit their absentee ballot electronically. We already provide this option to other disadvantaged groups, such as military personnel stationed overseas.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The Secretary of State serves as the Chief Election Official for the State of Alabama. Therefore, the office of Secretary of State is integral to the administration of elections in the State of Alabama. As we know, elections lay the foundation for all of government, since we are a representative democracy.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up first to my father, James R. Packard, who was a member of the United States Air Force for 20 years and then another 26 years with the United States Postal Service, and my mother, Nelda Norton Packard, who held various jobs during her life but who was mostly a great mom. My dad, along with my mother, instilled in me values that would serve me well during my career. I also look up to and consider as a role model former (and now deceased) Alabama Secretary of State Jim Bennett. He was the consummated statesman in his many years of service to the people of Alabama.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

A commitment to public service. Honesty. Personal integrity.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was as a Research Associate at the Center for Governmental Services, a part of the Outreach program at Auburn University. I was in that position for 2 years. My next job was the Education and Training Coordinator at the North Carolina State Board of Elections, where I served for one year. My third job was as an election administrator in the Alabama Secretary of State's office. I held that job for 24 years, 7 months, until I applied for retirement in 2021.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Almost any 80's song!

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

All the responsibilities of this office are important, but the most critical is the Secretary of State's role as Alabama's Chief Election Official. For people to have confidence in state and local government in Alabama, they must first have confidence in the integrity of our election process. The Secretary of State has an extremely important role in ensuring our elections have integrity.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, I do believe that a person who becomes Secretary of State should have previous experience in government, especially in the administration of elections. Voters, when they have the chance, should avail themselves of the opportunity to elect someone to be Secretary of State who has extensive knowledge and experience working in that office. In all times, but especially in these times, Alabamians should have a Secretary of State who is ready to work with confidence and competence on day one of his or her term of office. Alabamians should not have to wait for someone to receive on-the-job training to serve their interests.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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