Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land

Ever since I first attended the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, I’ve been hooked on politics. Up until that point, I was planning a career in education. But being among so many energetic, enthusiastic people yearning to make a difference made me realize that the political world was the place for me.

For years, I stayed active in the party as a County Chairman, member of the State Committee, precinct delegate and volunteer. In 1992 I decided to make a run for the office of County Clerk. I applied the lessons I had learned, starting back in 1976, and put to work all of the friends and supporters we had met along the way. Our campaign was successful, and I made government efficiency and transparency a cornerstone of my administration during my eight years there.

In 2002, I made a run for Secretary of State. Again, with the help of friends, supporters and involved citizens, we were successful. We were reelected in 2006 with more than 2 million votes, and I’ve been working since then to ensure that our office is as user-friendly and accessible as possible.

In all my travels, I’ve found that hard work always speaks for itself. Of course, it’s easy to brag about our success, but it requires diligence and discipline to demonstrate it. Respect is earned when your work can stand on its own.

Finally, I’ve found that whatever our goals are, we must follow the advice of Sir Winston Churchill who once advised us to never, ever, ever, ever give up. We will always encounter obstacles and challenges, but in order to be successful, we must view those setbacks as opportunities for growth.

Terri Lynn Land has served as Michigan's 41st Secretary of State since 2003. She earned re-election in November 2006 and began her second four-year term January 1, 2007. Prior to her election, Secretary Land served as Kent County clerk from 1992-2000, at a time of tremendous change and growth in Michigan's 4th largest county. In that position, her focus was on making county government more open and convenient for the public.