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In her first year as secretary, Johnson
made huge strides in streamlining operations, improving customer service
and safeguarding election integrity. Using technology and common sense
and by fostering partnerships between the private and public sectors,
her team at the Department of State cut costs, reduced their general
fund budget
by 20 percent and improved efficiency for the people of Michigan.
Among her accomplishments, Johnson tripled online services with the
launch of ExpressSOS.com. This "no-wait" Secretary of State allows
customers to complete the department's most popular transactions online,
24-hours a day, from their home or office computer. It's already working
to cut branch wait times for customers.
She also introduced a comprehensive election reform package, her Secure
and Fair Elections (SAFE) initiative to clean up Michigan's voter rolls,
toughen campaign finance laws and ensure integrity in the elections
process.
Johnson, working with SOS employees and partners Gift of Life Michigan
and the Michigan Eye-Bank, made expanding Michigan's organ donor list a
priority. First year efforts paid off with historic gains - nearly
400,000 Michiganders added their names to the donor
lists, a 25 percent increase.
Johnson's work as secretary continues a distinguished career in public
service. As a three-term member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from 1999 through 2004, she also served on the Veterans Affairs,
Homeland Security, Education, Health Policy and
Transportation Committees.
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During her time as a legislator, Johnson, a
fiscal conservative, led investigations into the misappropriation of
funds at the Oakland County Intermediate School District that resulted
in the conviction of a public official and restored money earmarked for
kids.
In 2004, Johnson was the first woman ever elected to serve as Oakland
County's clerk/register of deeds. As clerk for the state's second
largest county, she won 14 national awards for innovative services that
saved money and promoted transparency and accountability. She doubled
online services, put campaign finance records online, successfully
changed laws to help families in foreclosure, and co-founded OPERATION:
OUR TROOPS COUNT to ensure voting rights for overseas military. In 2006,
she was a nominee for lieutenant governor in Michigan.
From 1988 to 1998, Secretary Johnson was a member of the Oakland County
Board of Commissioners. As commissioner, she tackled such issues as
putting prisoners to work and instituting countywide performance audits
that provide accountability in government.
A lifelong resident of northern Oakland County, Johnson is also a former
small business owner. She is a graduate of Waterford Township High
School and has an associate's degree from Oakland Community College, a
bachelor's degree from Oakland University and a master's degree
from Wayne State University, with honors. She lives in Holly with her
husband, Don Nanney, a small-business owner, and their daughter, Emily.
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