Ken Bennett

Ken Bennett

Bennett, Ken (Republican)

Phone: (928) 899-0404
Email: info@bennettarizona.com
Website: www.bennettarizona.com
90 E. Catclaw St., Gilbert, AZ 85296

Age: 50 (8/1/59, Tucson, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Secretary of state since 2009; consultant, 2007-08; state senator, 1999-07; CEO, Bennett Oil, 1985-06.

Marital: Married (Jeanne, county elections/voter registration).

Children: 3; 1 grandson.

Religious preference: LDS. Education: B.S., accounting, ASU, 1984; Prescott High School, 1977.

Political experience: Prescott City Council, 1985-89. AZ Senate, 1997-07 (president, 2003-07; majority leader, 2002).

Memberships have included: AZ High Education Loan Authority, AZ Investment Council, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, AZ Centennial Commission, AZ Historical Advisory Commission, AZ Board of Education, AZ Charter Schools Board, Prescott Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts of America, Education Leaders Council, Prescott Little League, Prescott AYSO/AYSA Soccer.

Interests: Family, sports, music, Arizona history.

Issues:

Political influence: Ronald Reagan.

Background & experience: They’ve taught me how to work with people of different philosophies, bring people together for mutual benefits, and lead organizations to accomplish positive change.

Top priority: Strengthen the integrity of Arizona’s elections and improve voter participation.

Ready to be governor: My background and experiences have allowed me to build thousands of multi-partisan relationships statewide, see how government works and interacts at multiple levels, and develop a thorough understanding of critical functions, processes and budgets.

Changes to duties: I would like to see this office play a bigger role in economic development and business attraction.

Elections: Use technology and data-process improvements to make voter registration more convenient and accurate. Use technology to streamline voting processes and give voters greater flexibility in voting locations. Use better auditing techniques and technology to strengthen voting system security and verification.

Prop. 100 sales tax: I oppose the temporary increase because it is a three year Band-Aid and won’t solve the fundamental problems in our tax and spending systems. I’ve yet to hear anyone credibly suggest that the economy will improve enough in three years so that we will suddenly not need $1 billion/year in revenue. I believe we need to change our tax code to create more incentives and rewards for economic development and smooth out exaggerated fluctuations in tax revenue. We need to not collect and spend as much in the good times — and not drop so much in the down times.

Campaign finance: public.