Jay Ashcroft

Jay Ashcroft
40th Secretary of State of Missouri
Assumed office
January 9, 2017
Governor Eric Greitens
Mike Parson
Preceded by Jason Kander
Personal details
Born John Robert Ashcroft
(1973-07-12) July 12, 1973
Jefferson City, Missouri, U.S.
Political party Republican
Education United States Merchant Marine
Academy
University of Missouri, Rolla
(BS, MS)
Saint Louis University (JD)

John Robert "Jay" Ashcroft (born July 12, 1973) is an American attorney, engineer, and politician serving as the 40th and current Secretary of State of Missouri. As Secretary of State, Ashcroft has forcefully pushed for stricter voter ID laws. He has made false claims about the extent of voter fraud.[1][2][3][4][5]

Early life

Ashcroft is the son of politician John Ashcroft.[6]

Ashcroft attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy, but did not graduate.[7] He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Missouri University of Science and Technology. He then worked as an engineer. Ashcroft attended law school, earning his Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University.[8]

Political career

Ashcroft ran for the Missouri Senate in 2014,[9] losing to Jill Schupp.[6] He ran for Missouri Secretary of State in the 2016 elections. He defeated State Senator Will Kraus in the Republican Party primary election,[10] and former KMOV anchor Robin Smith in the general election.[11]

Voter ID laws

Ashcroft is a staunch supporter of stricter voter ID laws, asserting that voter fraud is common enough to have "changed elections."[1][2][3] There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Missouri or anywhere else in the United States.[4] The type of voter fraud that would be addressed through Ashcroft's preferred legislation, which critics say suppresses turnout, is extremely rare.[5][4] In defending a push for stricter photo-ID laws, Ashcroft cited one instance where a couple illegally voted, but omitted that the photo-ID laws that Ashcroft was advocating for would not have prevented the couple from voting.[4]

On July 3, 2017, Ashcroft said that he would comply with the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity's request for Missourians voting data.[12] At the time, Missouri became one of only three states to comply with the commission.[13] He said he would give out voters’ names, addresses, birthdates, where they voted and when.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "Judge dismisses suit over Missouri's voter ID law". The Seattle Times. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  2. 1 2 "Could foreign hackers mess with Missouri elections? Jay Ashcroft doesn't think so". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  3. 1 2 McDermott, Kevin. "Ashcroft defends Missouri's cooperation with Trump voter-fraud probe, as other states decline". stltoday.com. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "States push new voter requirements, fueled by Trump". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  5. 1 2 McDermott, Kevin. "Ashcroft defends Missouri's cooperation with Trump voter-fraud probe, as other states decline". stltoday.com. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  6. 1 2 Mannies, Jo (February 19, 2015). "Ashcroft jumps into open contest for Missouri secretary of state". KWMU. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  7. ↑ Woehlk, Geoffrey. "Kraus, Ashcroft continue throwing shade ahead of primary". Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  8. ↑ Griffin, Marshall. "Missouri's next secretary of state will be a first-time officeholder". Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Familiar Name Returns To Missouri Ballot". Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  10. ↑ Phillips, Jeff. "Jay Ashcroft, son of ex-governor, wins Republican secretary of state primary". Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Jay Ashcroft wins Secretary of State race". November 9, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  12. ↑ Cali, Michael. "Ashcroft to release Missourians' voting data to Trump commission".
  13. ↑ CNN, Liz Stark and Grace Hauck,. "44 states won't give some voter info to panel". CNN. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  14. ↑ Mannies, Jo. "Missouri Secretary of State responds to criticism over support for Trump voter-fraud panel". Retrieved 2018-06-20.
Political offices
Preceded by
Jason Kander		 Secretary of State of Missouri
2017–present		 Incumbent
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