CP

[Pitts 2002]

Former Siegeman aide Chris Pitts Running for Secretary of State

By Phillip Rawls
The Associated Press
12/11/02

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) --Chris Pitts, a former member of Gov. Don Siegelman's Cabinet, 
entered the race Tuesday, describing himself as a "New Democrat" who's not afraid to 
chart different courses.

Pitts said that if elected next year, he would propose legislation to increase accountability 
and accessibility in Alabama's electoral process.  Pitts wouldn't say what would be in his 
legislation, except that it would include "some measure of voter identification."

"I am a 'New Democrat' who will not be afraid to chart new paths for the good of Alabama" 
or to disagree with Democratic Party Leaders, Pitts said at a news conference.

Pitts worked on Siegelman's staff in the lieutenant governor's office for four years and has 
served in the governor's cabinet as director of the office of communty relations and 
assistant director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.  He 
resigned from Siegelman's staff to run for secretary of state because he wanted to "avoid 
the look of any impropriety."

The candidate said he wants to expand the work of the secretary of states office by using 
the corporate division, which maintains records of Alabama corporations, to serve as a 
resource for Alabama's small and growing businesses.

Pitts, 31, of Montgomery, is making his first bid for public office, but he comes from a 
politically active family.  His mother, Barbara Pitts of Auburn, is president of the Alabama 
New South Coalition.

Pitts, who is black, said he is not concerned that the only two blacks holding statewide 
office, former Supreme Court Justices John England and Ralph Cook, were defeated in the 
2000 election.  Pitts said he expects voters to judge him on his background, his proposals, 
and his vision.

"If I win this race, it won't be because I'm African-American.  If I lose, it won't be because 
i'm African-American," he said.

http://www.PittsaNewDemocrat.com