Alexi Giannoulias

Environment / Energy

My office also created the “Green Energy” program to spur development, which incentivized businesses that would “go green” independently or through energy efficiency programs by awarding them state-backed interest rate reductions on their loans to expand or start a business and hire more workers. I will continue these efforts as Secretary of State, encouraging incentives aimed at making electronic vehicles more affordable and access to additional charging stations throughout the entire state. Learn more

Government Reform

Enact a tough “revolving door” policy – of two years – to prevent state lawmakers from working as lobbyists immediately after they leave the Legislature. Learn more

I’m proposing that Illinois to give 16- and 17-year-olds the ability to pre-register to vote and become automatically registered upon turning 18. This program would be linked with the AVR system so when young people come into to apply for their driver’s licenses or state IDs, they can preregister to vote. Learn more

Allowing for digital driver’s licenses and state identification cards on people’s phones will make it more convenient for Illinoisans to update their information remotely and avoid an in-person visit to a facility. I will draft legislation and encourage Illinois lawmakers to approve it during my first year in office. Learn more

I will develop an inclusive culture that includes more decision making, opportunity and innovation while encouraging more input from workers. Learn more

Giannoulias supports initiatives that would ban elected officials from lobbying local governments. Learn more

This individual would play a critical role in shaping the public service workforce and how the office interacts with customers while optimizing organizational culture and aligning diversity and inclusion goals. Learn more

I plan to offer more assistance online, over the phone or in person, especially for seniors, those who don’t speak English and for others who need special assistance. My plan is to assign an “office advocate” who will help individuals throughout the entire process to make sure they get the help and services that they need from the time they walk in or call the office up until they have everything they need. Learn more

Establish a statewide, searchable database for the public to access lobbyist information and activity at all levels of state and local government with regularly updated registration and expenditure reports from lobbyists and clients. Learn more

Require elected officials to reveal potential conflicts by mandating that their Statements of Economic Interest report outside sources of income, business relationships, ranges of the amount they get paid and from whom. In addition, require strict monitoring and penalties for failing to disclose any interests. Learn more

Introduce a Secretary of State’s office app that would allow residents to upload documents in advance and receive notifications and reminders about renewals and appointments, and access services and program and access online to avoid in-person visits. Learn more

I will continue to support legislation that prohibited the state and municipalities from suspending the driver’s licenses of drivers who fail to pay parking tickets and other fines, which was signed into law earlier this year. The suspensions disproportionately affect low-income drivers who need their cars to get to work and earn the money to earn a living. Learn more

Offer digital assistance that people can access through an app on their phone that would walk them through a task – step by step – to provide them guidance and ensure their questions are answered. Learn more

Guarantee neighborhood access by making more Secretary of State’s office programs and support available at pop up offices and available to local libraries in Chicago and throughout the state. Learn more

Expand the powers of the inspectors general in state government and in the Legislature to give them more independence, subpoena power and additional resources to pro-actively investigate issues and eliminate corruption. Learn more

Require state lawmakers who have a personal or private interest in legislation to disclose potential conflicts and prohibit outside employment that creates potential conflicts with their government work. Learn more

I plan to implement a universal License to Read program to improve access to libraries, add educational programs, provide more digital services online and find new ways to bring more people together, especially in communities that need those services most. Learn more

I will require that the Secretary of State’s office adhere to Illinois’ Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and expand opportunities for women and minority businesses to enter into contracts with the State. I would also closely monitor contractors’ commitments to hiring minorities and women and undertake a disparity study aimed at identifying ways to increase the pools of prime and sub-contractors throughout the State. Learn more

I will strengthen the Secretary of State’s Business Services Division to make it easier for minority-owned business owners – to start a business and cut through the layers of red-tape, which will reduce costs and get them up and running more quickly and enable them to hire workers. Learn more

Infrastructure / Transportation

I will make our roads safer places for both motorists and police officers by working with State Representative LaShawn Ford in repealing an existing state law, which prohibits drivers from hanging items from a vehicle’s rear view. Illinois is one of just a handful of states that ban items from hanging from a vehicle’s rear-view mirror or affixed to a windshield on the grounds that they obstruct a motorist’s vision. Learn more