Rep. Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, will seek the Democratic nomination for secretary of state, he announced Tuesday morning.
Mock, a Minot High School graduate who earned a bachelor's degree in history from UND, has served in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 2008. He told a small crowd at UND's Memorial Union that his platform would be for the state's residents.
"Without them, government just doesn't exist and it exists for them," he said.
Mock discussed his three "areas of concern" -- providing a resource to the state's voters, restoring the office's transparency and efficiency and serving as an ambassador for residents and businesses.
But an audience question about whether his young age would be a "reinvigorating" factor for the office also had to be addressed. "My age is going to be there to serve as a benefit for the people in North Dakota," Mock responded.
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He said his youthfulness has been important during his two years as a District 42 representative because it's necessary for all viewpoints to be heard. Mock also said his age would allow him to bring his ambition and passion to the office if elected.
"I'm excited to show the people of North Dakota what this 25-year-old legislator can do," Mock said.
He said the state has a tradition of young leaders, including Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., who was appointed state tax commissioner at the age of 26. He said his time in the House shows he is capable of being a leader.
"I do have a lot of energy and passion for this," Mock said. "It's the whole attitude that the government should be working for the people."
Mock's goals for the office include serving as an ambassador to residents and businesses, an important thing because he considers the secretary of state to be a "vital resource" for communities.
"Our government needs to be an ally with the people and not just another form of bureaucracy," he said.
Another goal is improving the office's transparency. Mock said he would work with new media, including YouTube, and update the secretary of state's online presence to make the office's responsibilities and efforts more widely known among residents.
"The current administration has unfortunately lost touch with the general public," he said, pointing out the last press release on the office's Web site was posted in May 2008.
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Transparency efforts also would include educating voters and providing easy access to answers from some of their most frequently asked questions, Mock said.
He said he would embrace programs such as the American Legion Boys and Girls State programs, which he volunteers for every year, in order to get the state's young adults more interested in the government.
A similar effort is getting the state's nearly 42,000 university students more connected with local politics. Mock pointed out many of them don't realize they are eligible to vote in North Dakota and how important state actions can be on issues that are important to them.
"If we really want them to stay in North Dakota ... we need to work with them from Day One," he said.
Mock said the 2009 legislative session gave him experience in redistricting and other things that would be part of his job if elected. The timing was right, he said, to make bid for a statewide position and challenge incumbent Republican Al Jaeger, who has served in the office since 1992 and will run for re-election this year.
"North Dakota is poised for great things," Mock said. "We just need to have the ambition and leaders to get us there."
For more information, visit Mock's Web site at www.coreymock.com .
Johnson reports on local politics. Reach him at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com .
