Kim Crockett

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

Kim Crockett

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Minnesota, 1984

Law

Penn Law, 1987

Personal

Birthplace

Minneapolis, Minn.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

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Kim Crockett (Republican Party) ran for election for Minnesota Secretary of State. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

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

Biography

Kim Crockett was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1984 and a law degree from the Penn Law in 1987. Her career experience includes working as an attorney.

Elections

2022

See also: Minnesota Secretary of State election, 2022

General election

General election for Minnesota Secretary of State

Incumbent Steve Simon defeated Kim Crockett and Steve Carlson in the general election for Minnesota Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Simon (D)	54.5	1,345,685
		Kim Crockett (R)	45.4	1,119,949
		Steve Carlson (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	15
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	2,080

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,467,729
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Minnesota Secretary of State

Incumbent Steve Simon defeated Steve Carlson in the Democratic primary for Minnesota Secretary of State on August 9, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Simon	72.5	285,314
		Steve Carlson	27.5	108,144

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 393,458
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Minnesota Secretary of State

Kim Crockett defeated Erik van Mechelen in the Republican primary for Minnesota Secretary of State on August 9, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kim Crockett	63.2	190,156
		Erik van Mechelen	36.8	110,940

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 301,096
= 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

• Kelly Jahner-Byrne (R)
• Phillip Parrish (R)

Endorsements

To view Crockett's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released September 20, 2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was blessed to be raised in Minnesota. My family has deep roots in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. I am student of the American founding, so I ventured out to Penn Law in Philadelphia after graduating with honors from the University of Minnesota. I wanted to study law where the Constitution was born. I made my way home, called back to the serenity of our lakes and stunning four seasons. There is no other place like Minnesota.

Minnesotans may know me through my work as an attorney, policy advocate and writer at Center of the American Experiment and Intellectual Takeout. Or maybe you’ve just heard me on the radio or read my work in The StarTribune. I care deeply about our state.

I’ve served as a lawyer on Election Day for over 20 years; volunteered at Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA) to defend our great tradition of asking citizen election judges from the major parties to work closely together to keep elections fair and secure. I have consulted for American Majority on election policy, and I am an active member of the RNLA, and several state and national coalitions committed to protecting the legal vote of every American citizen.

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?

• Let’s calm things down. I want to restore everyone’s confidence in election outcomes. Citizens from all political points of view are questioning the accuracy of our elections; doubts about elections divide us and threaten the peace of our republic. I will restore confidence in Minnesota’s elections and calm our angry rhetoric by working with the legislature, and election officials across the state, to improve election laws and the administration of the vote. Minnesota deserves nothing less. Minnesota needs a Secretary of State committed to protecting the rights of all eligible voters in Minnesota, regardless of party affiliation.
• “Vote Local and Safeguard the Vote.” I will encourage a to return to the civic traditions that unite us including, whenever possible, voting in person with our neighbors. I will work with the legislature to ensure that we feel confident that only eligible votes are cast & counted (e.g. require photo ID and provisional ballots; reduce 46-day early voting period; clean up voter rolls; require party-balanced absentee ballot boards; ban drop boxes and ballot harvesting; review voting technology; require random post-election audits; require citizenship to vote). I will collaborate with the attorney general and county attorneys to prosecute voter fraud, and help citizens get ID so they can function in our society.
• Ban third-party interference and censure unconstitutional changes to laws: In 2020, Sec. Simon waived important absentee ballot protections (including postmarks) without permission from the Legislature, and voted with Gov. Walz as a member of the executive council to repeatedly lock down the state. I pledge never to do that. Sec. Simon allowed Mark Zuckerberg to spend $7.1 million to get out the vote in mostly Democratic areas. Mailboxes are flooded with official looking ballot applications with pre-filled data from special interest groups that mislead voters. I would ask the legislature to ban private money used to influence the vote, and require mailed ballot applications to be clearly marked “Not Official Application.”

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Election law, and anything that affects our employer's ability to thrive and employ Minnesotans. Minnesota needs a Secretary of State committed to protecting the rights of all eligible voters in Minnesota, regardless of party affiliation. Along with that commitment comes the responsibility to ensure that ineligible ballots do not disenfranchise legitimate voters. We also need a Secretary of State who will look out for the small and mid-sized business owners who form the backbone of our state economy. Minnesota's tax and regulatory policies are making it hard to start and run successful businesses. Family farms and businesses are being sold to strangers to pay estate and other taxes, instead of being passed down. Small business owners cannot afford the compliance costs designed for larger companies. And Minnesota's immigrant communities, who are often small business owners, are ill-served by the complexity of state laws and regulations. There are also licensing requirements that create barriers to entry for talented people who want to work. Let's shift our attitude from penalizing entrepreneurs to showing gratitude by making it easy to do business in Minnesota.

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 oversees elections, both federal, state, and local. This role is the most consequential role of the office. The right to vote in fair and secure election, and have that vote properly counted, is our most precious right as American citizens.

The Secretary also oversees business services; small business is the backbone of Minnesota's economy, so it is vital that the office is accessible and functions well.

There are other important services such as the Safe at Home Program (protecting the identity of victims of abuse) also entrusted to the Office of Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State also sits on the Executive Council and the State Board of Investment.

It is a serious job that should be administered without regard to party affiliation.

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

John and Abigail Adams are my favorite historical couple. They did not come from wealth but they were honest, hard-working people who valued their faith, family and education. They were rock-solid in their devotion to our country and doing the right thing even if it came at great personal cost. Their sense of duty was remarkable. I think their lives were impossibly hard at times but they also had a great adventure by stepping up to the challenge of throwing off the British monarchy, establishing this great Republic and the American experiment in self-governance. Their great friendship and marital partnership is a model for leaders today to follow.

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

Respect for the Rule of Law as we are a nation of laws. The Constitution offers a brilliant framework for self-governance; elected officials should understand that the Constitution limits the power of government and protects the rights of citizens, including minority views from the tyranny of the majority. Self-restraint and respect for the right of the governed to consent is expressed through regular elections; they should be fair and secure to ensure peace and prosperity. Most of all, elected officials must not abuse their power by going beyond what the law authorizes them to do; but elected officials also should not fail to do what the job requires (do not shrink from responsibilities even when difficult)..

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I stay calm in the face of crisis or controversy. I try to be fair-minded, open to new information and respectful of differences of opinion but I am also a leader and have a well-formed public policy views. I learn fairly quickly.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The proper and efficient administration of elections and business services, which includes advising and working with the legislature on best practices and good public policy.. The Secretary also serves on the Executive Council and State Board of Investments, two critical roles given the Covid-related "emergencies" recently voted on by the Executive Council, and the perennial funding crisis for public employee pensions.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want families and friends to sit down at Thanksgiving in a few years, look across the table and say, "That was a fair election, now please pass the mashed potatoes. How about those Vikings?"

Minnesota is the land of 10,000 close elections. I want to restore everyone's confidence in our election outcomes, especially when an election is close (and there is a recount). We need better laws to do that and more transparent processes to get there. The state is divided politically but we do not need to be suspicious of one another or so deeply divided over election outcomes. We can fix this.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember when JFK was assassinated in 1963; I was three years old. I did not understand what had happened but I knew that my parents were very upset. I probably remember because my normally calm mother cried off and on for days, and watched a lot of TV news.

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

I am going to tell you about the jobs (plural) I had when I was growing up and in school because they taught me to work hard and respect people who make our state work. Earning money made me self-reliant and frugal. I started babysitting when I was nine (hey, it was the 1960’s when parents were more relaxed; plus I was hyper-responsible).
In high school, I worked as a nurse’s aide for a year (loved my patients, and worked again as an aide in college). My junior and senior years in high school I worked as a “gas—jockey.” That was in the late 1970’s when you still got full service (pumped the gas, checked the fluids, and cleaned the windows). I also worked as a waitress, so I appreciate wait-staff, and a medical secretary in college. I paid for college/law school by working and taking loans. I paid back every dime.

What is your favorite book? Why?

David McCollough's "John Adams" because it is about my favorite period of history--and it reads more like a historical novel.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I have no idea; I am open to suggestions!

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

That does not really happen to me. But I am a singer; I have a song for just about everything so I am kind of like a human juke box. If I hear a phrase, I often think of a song, and if you are a close friend, I will often start singing though I cannot always remember the lyrics! We call it "lyric deficit disorder."

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good; and learning how to relax. Still working on that!

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

The administration of elections is the most consequential role of the office. But business services are critical to the well-being of Minnesotans, too. The Secretary advises the legislature and governor on best practices with regard to both election policy and business services, and a variety of other matters. But these two are the most important.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Executive Council: The Executive Council is made up of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, and attorney general. The governor is chair. The Executive Council meets upon the call of the governor or the call of the executive secretary when a meeting is requested by three or more council members. In response to Covid, the council voted repeatedly as a block in 2020-2021 to extend the governor's emergency powers (churches, businesses and schools were affected). https://mn.gov/admin/about/executive-council/about/

Minnesota State Investment Board (SBI). Established in 1885, pursuant to Article XI, Section 8 of the Minnesota Constitution, the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) serves the State of Minnesota by investing the assets of state and local employee benefit plans, other public retirement savings plans, tax advantaged savings plans, and non-retirement assets.(Minnesota's public pension plans are underfunded.)

The Secretary of State sits on both the Executive Council and the SBI.

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

Not necessarily in public office, but it is probably helpful if the person has been around state politics, just to understand, for example, the legislative process, and the interaction between the office and local election officials. The Secretary should have a working familiarity with, and passion for, election law, the state and federal constitutions and the laws affecting elections and business owners.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

An understanding of the legislative process in Minnesota and Congress, executive skills to head the office, and public speaking/writing (to communicate ideas to the public, other election officials and the legislature). Given the current environment, a legal and policy background is very helpful.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I am terrible at telling jokes, and I am still working on having a sense of humor. (:)

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.

Campaign website

Crockett's campaign website stated the following:

“	Vote local, Photo ID and safeguard the vote. Encourage Minnesota to return to the civic traditions that unite us on Election Day. Americans are divided on many issues but identifying ourselves when we vote is not one of them! Kim will work with the legislature to pass common sense reforms to protect the choice of eligible voters (e.g. require photo ID and provisional ballots; cross-check voter registration lists against other databases; review ballot security for absentee ballots; tighten chain of custody requirements; require random post-election audits; require citizenship to vote). Empowering Small Business. Small businesses are the backbone of our state economy; the Secretary of State’s office should take the lead with other state agencies to simplify registrations for new and relocating businesses to attract and keep them employing Minnesotans. Let’s make Minnesota a business-friendly state! Require election judges to accept/reject all absentee ballots. On Election Day, citizen election judges from the major parties work together to safeguard our votes. It’s called the party balance rule. Why is Sec. Simon discouraging counties and cities from following the party balance rule when they accept/reject absentee ballots? In 2020, 58% of the vote was cast by absentee ballot. Ban third-party voter interference. Mark Zuckerberg spent over $400 million to get out the vote in “blue” districts across the nation, including over $7 million in Minnesota. His organization (CTCL) is now spending $80 million to infiltrate election operations at the local level to "help" with websites and databases. What could go wrong? Other "progressive" organizations flood our mailboxes with official looking ballot applications, sometimes with pre-filled data, that purposely confuse voters. Reverse mail ballot trend in Greater Minnesota. Of course there are many legitimate reasons for voting by mail (small rural towns, immobility issues, absentee, etc.) but Sec. Simon has worked hard to shift Greater Minnesota townships to vote by mail instead of voting in-person. In 2020, 1,345 precincts out of about 4,000 closed, up from 588 precincts in 2014 when Simon took office. Only registered voters get a ballot; if you do not have one or do not want to put it in the mail, you must drive to the county seat, or miss the vote... To find out how to get a ballot, how mail ballot precincts work, how to vote in person or other questions visit the Secretary of State website The number of precincts in Greater Minnesota designated as “mail-in” balloting precincts has grown dramatically under Secretary of State Steve Simon (Democrat). When Simon became Secretary of State in 2014, there were 588 mail-in precincts. In 2018, there were 948 mail-in balloting precincts, today, there are 1,345. That is a 42 percent increase. In a mail-ballot precinct, registered voters are automatically sent a ballot. If you are not registered, you do not get a ballot or a notice from the state. Options are limited if you want to vote early in person or on Election Day. There are concerns that this policy can lead to voters in Greater Minnesota scrambling to vote on Election Day, especially if they are not registered. And there are concerns about what happens to ballots sent to voters who have moved, or what happens to ballots once they are placed in the mail system. An Update from Kim Townships that opted for mail ballots over the years had different reasons, including Covid concerns in 2020. As Kim talks with township residents and commissioners, she is thinking that mail ballots for very small townships IF DONE PROPERLY can still be a good option. Mail ballots used to be processed by the township clerk who knew everyone; assuming an honest/competent clerk, that personal knowledge provided an extra measure of integrity/accountability. But now all the ballots go to the county auditor. What if townships could get those ballots back to the township level? Mail ballots, even if counted locally, however, can leave unregistered voters out in the cold, and there is still the problem of mail ballots floating around that can be voted improperly (there is no strict ballot inventory which can lead to fraud). Another idea Kim is exploring for a return to in-person voting in mail ballot townships: grants for tiny townships that are unfairly burdened by the cost of complying with federal and state regulations (cost of equipment and polling place if there is not township hall). Stay tuned on this. To find out if you live in a mail-in balloting precinct, please visit the polling place finder on the Secretary of State’s polling place finder at: Polling Place Finder. If you live in one of those townships and want to reverse the township’s decision, use the sample resolution here and follow the instructions in the Minnesota Senate memo here. Citizens who wish to reverse the mail ballot designation should approach their elected officials to get it on the agenda well in advance of Election Day. The SOS Website FAQ for Mail-In Precincts can be read here. Enforce the law against internet connections. Citizens and election judges should be empowered to confirm that vote tabulating equipment is not connected to the internet until the polls are closed on Election Night. Elected officials should be required to certify that the law was followed. Censure unconstitutional changes to laws. In 2020, Sec. Simon extended Election Day seven (7) days and waived signature and postmark requirements by “consent decree” and without legislative authorityto do so, violating the constitution, according to the 8thCircuit Court of Appeals. Reduce 46-day “early voting” season. Why are voters asked to decide 6 weeks before Election Day? How much does that cost taxpayers, and burden election officials? Instead of 46 long days of “early voting” let’s return to a reasonable week or two before Election Day. Reduce reliance on technology; plug the holes. We have entrusted our most important power as citizens, the right to choose our representatives, to technology we do not understand or control. It is time to identify and plug security holes in both hardware and software to ensure the integrity of voting systems. Is high-tech really saving money, time or making elections more secure? Protect vulnerable citizens. The elderly, homeless, and non-English speaking citizens are being exploited for their votes. Why do election rules allow and encourage this? Oppose the expansion of Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV). RCV promises voters better results through "coalition voting." But in practice this overly complicated voting scheme creates chaos, dilutes the power of your vote—and gives some voters more influence over outcomes than others. It also violates “one person, one vote.” The so-called "FairVote" movement pushing RCV diabolically undermines fair elections in the name of fairness! Minneapolis is the poster child.	”
—Kim Crockett's campaign website (2022)

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