Reitenour unveils “Back to the Constitution” election plan in Secretary of State race

Submitted

Republican candidate for Indiana Secretary of State Jamie Reitenour is drawing a clear contrast in the statewide race, presenting what she calls a “Back to the Constitution” approach to Indiana elections as her campaign launches a multi-county town hall tour across the state.

Speaking last Saturday at the Clark County GOP Chairman’s Breakfast Candidate Forum, Reitenour outlined a fundamentally different vision for the Secretary of State’s office: one centered on hand-marked paper ballots, precinct-level voting and vote counting completed on Election Day (Constitutionally “one day”), and restoring local control over elections.

As public coverage has largely framed the race around other candidates, Reitenour’s campaign is emerging as a distinct alternative – not only within the Republican field, but across all candidates – focused on transparency, eliminating voting machines as a significant statewide cost reduction, and citizen oversight of elections.

“The question is not just who can run the office,” Reitenour told attendees. “The question is whether we are going to return elections to the people – where they can see it, verify it, and trust it.”

Reitenour pointed to her professional experience managing regulatory compliance for more than 1,500 loan officers at what was then the second-largest mortgage broker in California, emphasizing her background in oversight, accountability, and adherence to strict legal standards.

She also shared her personal journey growing up in a military family, describing how frequent moves shaped her perspective on service and stability.

“For much of my life, home was wherever the couch was,” she said. “But when we came to Indiana, it was the first place that truly felt like home.”

On election policy, Reitenour presented what has become the defining contrast of her campaign: a system of hand-marked paper ballots, cast and counted at the precinct level on Election Day (Constitutionally “one day”), with results visible and verifiable within the community.

She argued this approach would increase transparency, reduce long-term costs tied to voting machine contracts, and allow citizens to be involved more, continuing the bipartisan volunteer requirements and tradition of Indiana elections.

Reitenour also voiced opposition to centralized voting centers, advocating instead for traditional precinct-based voting.

“When you keep voting local, you keep it accountable,” she said. “You remove layers of complexity and return oversight to the people where it belongs.”

When asked questions outside the role of Secretary of State, Reitenour refrained from engaging in local political disputes but shared consistent feedback she has received while traveling across Indiana.

“As I travel Indiana, I hear three things from Hoosiers: their utility costs are rising, their land is being taken, and they do not want data centers – hard stop,” she said.

Reitenour also emphasized the need for fiscal discipline within the Secretary of State’s office, calling for regular reviews of vendor contracts and spending to eliminate unnecessary costs and ensure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently. She noted that one of the most immediate and significant savings opportunities lies in reducing the millions of dollars spent on voting machines at both the state and county levels by transitioning to a precinct-based, paper ballot system.

Following the event, Reitenour drew strong support from attendees. She said many attendees expressed their support, breaking the narrative that “everyone feels they have to vote for Diego Morales.” Attendees also shared that they identified with the substance and direction of Reitenour’s campaign.

Throughout her remarks, Reitenour returned to what she described as the core requirement of the office: adherence to the Constitution and alignment with the values of the people.

“We must start with the Constitution,” she said. “You need to elect someone who not only has the skills to run the office – which I promise is not a problem – but someone who aligns with your values. If we don’t, the state will go off the rails, and I don’t want that for my kids or for Indiana’s future.”