Name: Diane Harris

What office are you seeking: Secretary of State

What is your political party? Republican

What is your current age? 70

Occupation and employer: Entrepreneur/Substitute Teacher/Retiree

What offices, if any, have you previously held? Currently holding, 23rd Precinct Committeeman, Trustee Joliet Public Library, Trustee Joliet Junior College

City: From Joliet living in Joliet

Campaign website: Yes, I do. www.harrisforsos.com

Education: 1981 Associates in Applied Sciences and Liberal Arts, JJC,

2010 Bachelor of Science in Management, University of Phoenix,

2011 Political Advocacy Training, American Majority,

2012 Precincts Committeeman Training, Will County Republican Central Committee,

2013 Kaplan Financial Edu, Insurance Licensing, 2022 Community Leadership School, (CLS) Joliet Chamber of Commerce

Community involvement: Currently Serving as board member Cathedral Area Preservation Association (CAPA) Neighborhood Clean Up, Wine Walk, Judge for neighborhood Christmas Decorations, served at the neighborhood food pantry, afterschool reading program, and serve ScholarshipsCommittee and attend monthly board meetings.

Morning Star Mission, serving as Board Member, promoting the mission of faith and needs of individuals throughout our community; attending monthly board meeting.

National Hook Up of Black Women, member

stock books and managed.the reading room in Bolingbrook, worked many exhibitors tables passing out books, stocked pantry for community day and participated in Laps for Literacy. Attend meetings

Joliet Area Chamber of Commerce, participated in vendor expos, attended ribbon cutting supporting new business and participated Santa 5K Walk/Run.

Marital status/Immediate family: Previously married.

Three adult children.

What is your plan to improve DMV and driver services?

My plan to improve the DMV is simple: make it faster, more accessible, and more accountable to the people it serves. That starts with ensuring all areas of the state have real access to DMV services, including desert and rural locations. I will review the feasibility of drive-up services and self-service kiosks in these areas to expand coverage and better serve busy professionals and moms who are always on the go.I will conduct a full review of the $884.5 million DMV budget to identify waste and fraud, with the goal of reallocating savings toward reducing fees for seniors and veterans.Safety for all is a priority. I will work with all levels of government to ensure everyone on the road understands and follows the rules of the road. That includes partnerships with high schools to strengthen safety programs and early driver education. I will also work with legislators to repeal laws that allow illegal migrants to drive.Cybersecurity must be taken seriously. I will review current systems to ensure the DMV is prepared for the AI era and that Illinoisans’ personal data is protected.Finally, I will strengthen internal codes of conduct so every customer is treated with respect and dignity in every DMV office, without exception.The DMV is a people serving government office. As your next constitutional officer, I will govern it that way by restoring service, accountability, and respect, and by giving the DMV back to the people it serves.

How will you reduce wait times and modernize online services?

The appointment process has to be reviewed as it’s not working for all. Driving outside of their area when there’s a DMV in the back yard is not working for the people. Strengthening the internal controls and working with unions to makes sure we’re getting the most out of all the job descriptions is key. Focusing on dedicated walk-in lines for Seniors and Veterans. Drive up opportunities should be available for quick service and a kiosk inside local Libraries, post offices, and grocery stores in rural areas especially where desert DMV areas exist. Our cybersecurity space will continue to be reviewed as updates develop and must work with qualified IT professionals in order that we are keeping everyone’s data safe. Also review the feasibility of enhancing security for our database since there was a data breach in 2024 even after our new cyber security system updatetook placein 2023. We must not forget that not everyone is online and it’s important to continue to focus on individuals who must come inside or for a better option, “drive up”.

What is your approach to maintaining voter registration systems and election integrity?

Although we do not have a direct involvement with elections we still have the responsibility of making sure the records of voter registration at the DMV regarding identity must be accurate and only reflect citizens voting. Making sure our online system Motor Voter system are working and as mentioned our cyberspace is monitored for continuous updates. Same as an in person applications, all employees have a responsibility to carefully reviewed and implement any safe guards in place. All the information transfer to other governmental agencies like ISBE it “should also be transferred to the local county clerks” as this will certainly satisfy our role in helping protect voter integrity. Again that is why I strongly support sharing information between other governmental offices as it helps to get things done and is key to avoiding duplication, fraud, false identification and again making sure to protect the integrity of our voting records. One Person, One Vote.

Do you support any changes to automatic voter registration?

Yes. I feel the applicant should have the option to say yes or no, not just automatically be signed up to register to vote. They should also have the option to declare a party affiliation or none at all, that way their application for voting will have a specific party affiliation and that will show up on their ballot at the polling place. Then the election judge won’t have to ask which ballot they prefer as the applicant has already designated it during registration. This in my opinion protects the integrity of elections and also provides the applicant to already be designated just as when they registered.

How will you improve library grants and literacy programs?

Library Grants are great options to help each public library enhance their needs. I also believe each public library should have the opportunity to be granted at least a minimum amount. Some of the categories should be combined as well. This minimum should be based on the needs, location and the sustainability shown throughout the years to serve the basic needs of their patrons. This way each library will be able to enhance project, or long awaited basic needs to their library. Of course this doesn’t remove the Illinois state statutes that govern them and all applicants should have to meet the basic criteria. Regarding literacy programs, there should be more small business partnership working with book vendor, homeschooling and enhancing more partnerships with schools and community colleges who support colleges for kids with more competitive reading program throughout the library districts. This will be a great opportunity for more grant funding and helping support the literacy.

What cybersecurity improvements are needed for state systems?

The Secretary of State is the official record keeper off all the state documents. It’s imperative that we are able to keep up with improvements to protect Illinois’s history. Although we still have paper archives the need for a more innovative way to manage documents is imperative with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) emergence. We must have professional IT staffing, individuals who can identify threats and the need to determine when improvements are needed before hand and to also determine if improvements are no longer satisfactory. That’s why it’s important to elect someone who will watch the taxpayers dollars but protect the states history as well. It’s our legacy, we must have the best systems to protect customer data, customer enhancements, systems data and document enhancement all to preserve the legacy of our great state’s history. So improvements are of the utmost important. That’s direct service to the people.

Do we have enough DMV offices?

There are many DMVs throughout Cook County and other areas but the Southern part of Illinois is still a DMV desert. I don’t currently approve of breaking ground for another as there are many new full service offices have currently been constructed. Unfortunately some individuals have to drive a distance due to the appointment process which doesn’t serve the people fairly. I do support drive through only, kiosk located inside existing local government-public offices and maybe college campuses. These options may provide quality service for the areas that will benefit in DMV desert areas. This is serving the people faster, and fairly.

Should this office provide more voter information to the federal government?

I do believe in information sharing with other governmental offices. However during the day to day business of the state as a Constitution Officer I will protect our documents required by law. If it’s not a policy of the Secretary of State there’s no need to forward info to federal. We will follow our normal routine. It’s our responsibility to protect our history, but, not to contradict the betterment of the US as a whole. So if federal has a mandate or a court order, yes the documents will be provided and I would be acting totally right as a constitutional officer to work with the federal government as this is the way to get things done and also could be a protective measure for the People. It’s time for local, state and federal government to things done for the people.

Has this office been politicized?

Yes. So much to the point where service to the people has been neglected. The Secretary of States office is a people serving governmental office and we need to get back to serving the people. Not campaigning for issue out of our jurisdiction because when we do that they become false promises. We will work with legislators to move our agendas forward. When we focus there and “stay in our lane” we can campaign on issues that will make DMV services great for all people. That’s what I will do.