Chris Swope and Jerimic Clayborn III

2017 candidates for Lansing City Clerk

The State Journal asked six questions of Lansing's city clerk candidates.
Answers were limited to 100 words.

1) Why are you running and what qualifications do you have to be city clerk?

Clayborn: I possess over 6 years of marketing experience- this experience will help aid
in organizing city wide events that will encourage the general public to participate in the
legislative process. I also love people and want to see the Clerks office reach new heights. We,
as citizens of Lansing, need all elected officials to address every single issue and concern that
directly affects our daily lives. In addition, I was a City Council at Large candidate in 2013. My
previous position as the daytime dispatcher for the GM LGR assembly plant has prepared me
for the role of Clerk.

Swope: Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and I am proud to have spent 12 years
fighting for and defending that right. I want to continue working on behalf of the voters of the
City of Lansing. I was recognized in2011 by the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks as a
City Clerk of the Year and hold the Certified Michigan Municipal Clerk designation. I am certified
as a Master Municipal Clerk by the International Association of Municipal Clerks.

2) What are your top three priorities for the office?

Clayborn: 1) Increasing Voter Turnout by: (a) giving my constituents the opportunity of meeting
all local political candidates each election cycle by hosting Forums and Town Hall meetings
utilizing the beautiful Lansing Center. (b) Push for the right to vote from the comfort of
our couches. 2) Ensuring Code Enforcement properly enforces all Medical Marijuana Dispensary
guidelines and regulations, including necessary inspections that will be set by the State. 3)
Working very closely alongside our next Mayor to properly mediate relations between the
Mayors office and our City Council members in order to deter a repeat of the past 12 years.

Swope: My top goal is to make voting easier for the citizens of Lansing. We have made and
continue to make improvements by increasing the awareness and availability of absentee
ballots; providing information to voters through numerous avenues; and improving election
worker training. I want to make sure that Lansing has fair and effective regulation of medical
marijuana. We must balance the need for access to this medicine with regulation that protects
the general population. We are in the process of improving our electronic recordkeeping
systems. With the potential of moving City Hall, this becomes a higher priority.
3) The clerks office is taking on new responsibilities with medical marijuana licensing. How will
you protect the integrity of that process?

Clayborn: I plan on closely working alongside our next Mayor and City Code Enforcement team
to ensure State guidelines are upheld, including necessary inspections of medical marijuana
dispensaries. The current medical marijuana facilities seen around town have been operating
illegally cover the past 9 years- this fact is staggering and extremely disheartening. The proper
licensing of these establishments must take precedence within the Clerks office. If need be, I
will personally visit each dispensary to ensure set laws are being obeyed. I also plan on working
with LPD to ensure officers are well equipped to handle medical marijuana dispensary
violations.

Swope: We must have a system that prioritizes the needs of patients and protects
neighborhoods from adverse impacts. It is also important that establishments have a fair shot
at getting one of a limited number of licenses. I have already been working on scoring criteria
that take all these factors in to consideration.

4) What improvements would you make to citys election operations?

Clayborn: Marketing (advertisement) is currently nearly non-existent within the Clerks office. I
promise to properly, and urgently, promote each primary and general election. Its as simple as erecting City
election billboards, running commercials, placing newspaper ads and yard signs ,organizing a
City canvassing team, and even hosting candidate forums and town hall meetings utilizing venues
such as the Lansing Center or the Michigan Princess Riverboat. Id also like to see our State legislature begin
to discuss the need for all citizens to have the right to vote from the comfort of their homes-
what better way is there to increase voter turnout?

Swope: In August we were among the first municipalities in the state to launch new election
equipment. We learned a lot and had a successful implementation. We are working to make
even more improvements as we look toward the 2018 gubernatorial election which will have
greatly higher turnout. All of our training and procedures are gearing toward doing now what
we will need to do in a high turnout year.

5) Are there any functions of the clerks office that should be studied to see if a regional
approach would save taxpayers money?

Clayborn: To be completely honest, up to this point, I have much to explore within this area.

Swope: We already did this for taxi licensing, but then the state removed the ability for local
regulation. There are other business licenses where this would me a sensible approach. I have
also testified recently in the Michigan House of Representatives for legislation that would allow
agreements between local clerks for some voter list maintenance and other similar agreements.

6) Are you current on all city, state and federal tax obligations?
Swope: Yes.
Clayborn: Yes.