A Treutlen County seasoned politician has tossed his hat into the ring to be Georgia’s next Secretary of State, and Tuesday at noon, former Treutlen County Magistrate Judge T.J. Hudson addressed the Vidalia Kiwanis Club. While Hudson’s address to Kiwanians could not be a  political address,  based on the club’s policy, he did speak with this radio station after the meeting about his bid for Secretary of State and why he chose to seek the office.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of years, but after the elections in 2020, I took it to heart,” he said. “I am the only candidate for the office that has any experience in running elections; I think that should be a prerequisite for a Secretary of State because that is a big part of the duties of the office.”

The Candidate sys he knows there are flaws in the currently election system, and his plans to address that by ensuring polling staff and election supervisors has the training and education they need to do the best job they possibly can.

“I believe there was a lack of preparation in the elections in 2020,” he said. “I plan to go to county-to-county in the state and meet with all the election supervisors. You can’t roll out a system like we’ve got now without the proper training.”

Elections are a big part of the Secretary of State’s job, but there are other areas including overseeing corporation filings and status, and professional licensing.

“Right now, you can’t even get anyone at the Secretary of State’s Office to answer the phone,” Hudson said. “If I’m elected, I will make sure the office is accessible; that someone is there to answer your calls or call you back. The Secretary of State’s Office needs to be accountable to the residents of Georgia and everyone there needs to remember that they are public servants to the people.”

The election for Secretary of State will be on the ballot in May 2022.