Sam Lane

Sam Lane was born in Leavenworth, Kansas. He graduated from Leavenworth High School. He attended the University of Kansas. His career experience includes working in testing and inspection for construction, manufacturing, retail, shipping, and as a line cook.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a working class, eyes-wide-open patriot who believes in things like Democratic Process and the Constitution of the United States of America. I recently switched from Independent to Democrat.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Election integrity, vital to a healthy democratic republic, is under threat from partisan politics. The Secretary of State, charged with overseeing elections, is the first line of defense. And that's a line I intend to hold.Fair and accurate elections -- I intend to make certain we have a complete paper trail for every ballot location, to achieve complete transparency and so voter fraud has no place to hide. In this era of tense, sometimes near-violent political polarization I also intend to make sure every ballot location is well-protected and to work to restore the reliability of mail-in ballots so we can all vote in safety. And I absolutely intend to push back against attempts at voter suppression, no matter where it comes from. Every citizen Constitutionally eligible to vote deserves safe and easy voting access. That's fundamental to democracy -- every voice mattersBoth sides of the aisle claim election integrity is being compromised, but for different reasons. It's my intent to take both sides seriously, regardless of what I personally think is or isn't true. I have to take every threat seriously, because our elections are too vital to risk to a biased judgement call.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Relevant to this job, election integrity and democratic process, of course.

More broadly, I'm a freedom-loving American, so civil liberties are a big deal to me -- freedom of speech, right to bear arms, due process (protection from unwarranted search and seizure, writ of habeas corpus), privacy, freedom of religion. Constitutional checks and balances are also important to me, as is education.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

In addition to elections, the Secretary of State is responsible for registering Kansas businesses. "Government paperwork" has a certain well-deserved infamy, and unfortunately Kansas is no exception. I'd like to make the state more user-friendly.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

When I was a kid, my dad told me I was descended from a famous Abolitionist named James Henry Lane. Much later in life, I learned Senator Jim Lane was a famous demagogue who sided with the Abolitionists when he figured out which way the wind was blowing in Kansas. We like to put a spin on the stories we tell.

Being a history nerd, I could name any number of admirable historical figures. John Brown wasn't afraid to die for his Abolitionist beliefs. Rudramadevi led her kingdom with skilled statesmanship in peace and war. Gráinne Mhaol was irrepressible. Cyrus the Great was one of the first rulers to practice the virtues of mercy and religious pluralism.

My grandpa served on an LST during WWII. As a kid I would occasionally help him fold Old Glory come sundown.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Just about every official needs willingness to listen. This can take many forms, from a senator listening to constituents' worries, to an election commissioner looking into subordinates' concerns, to a secretary of state hearing business owners talk about how the business registration system needs to change.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

My grandma, a child of Polish immigrants, made bombers during the war. She lived for just shy of a century, probably because she was too headstrong to accept death. I think I inherited some of her stubbornness, which is probably why we never really got along that well.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I suspect that historians will remember this era as one in which American values like freedom, democracy, and equality were under threat. It's my intent to be counted among the people who stood up to defend them.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Although in most of Kansas elections at the county level are run by the (elected) County Clerk, the most populous counties have Election Commissioners appointed by the Secretary of State.

Also, the Kansas Secretary of State has the power to prosecute voter fraud cases.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

It's a mixed blessing. It's true that being an outsider, I'll have to put effort into learning things that career politicians already know. I'll have to be extra careful about understanding why things work the way they do before I start making changes. That's because I've seen what happens when a new boss makes careless changes to a system that already works. About the time I wrote this (June 2025) I started the process of meeting with county clerks and election commissioners to better familiarize myself with the process.

On the flipside, familiarity breeds complacency. I've seen a lot of people at the various jobs I've worked take shortcuts or ignore safety rules, and bosses let it slide because that's just how it is. I'm not usually the guy that "lets it slide" anyway, and since I'm looking at it with fresh eyes, I'm not about to say any breach of important protocol is "just how it is".

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

If the job were solely about business registration and publishing state records, then just about anybody with a decent helping of integrity, diligence, and intelligence would be adequate to the task.

But throwing elections in there changes everything. A good Secretary of State will need to be sharp enough to catch threats to election integrity, stubborn enough to stop them in their tracks, and skilled enough at critical thinking to see through attempts to sell threats as something benign.

Tell us your favorite joke.

"Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed frequently, and for the same reason."

-Mark Twain

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

With very rare exception, transparency is a necessary component of a healthy democracy. That's why freedom of the press is so high on the Bill of Rights.