Opinion

Chronicle recommends: Dan Schnur for secretary of state

Schnur is running as an independent. Schnur is running as an independent. Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Chronicle recommends: Dan Schnur for secretary of state 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

As California's chief elections officer, the secretary of state must be demonstrably committed to defending fair play, to promoting transparency and civic engagement - and savvy enough in the mores of politics to quickly spot when those goals are being undermined.

Dan Schnur, who is hoping to become the first independent elected to a statewide office, fits those criteria better than anyone in the field.

Schnur, most recently director of USC's Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, has been a vigorous champion of the state's most significant reforms in recent years: the voter-approved changes in redistricting, term limits and primary rules. As chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, he tightened the rules on disclosure of the sources of advocacy advertising in the 60 days leading up to an election.

His priorities as secretary of state would include improving a cumbersome website that makes it unduly hard to track campaign money - shame on incumbent Debra Bowen for her failure to upgrade it in her seven-plus years - and to promote legislation to curb fundraising while lawmakers are in session.

The policy differences between Schnur and Democrat Derek Cressman, formerly of the watchdog Common Cause, are relatively minor. Republican Pete Peterson, who comes from a think tank devoted to civic engagement, is one of the more impressive newcomers to state politics in recent times.

Each of the three makes a compelling case that this is a dream job for him.

What distinguishes Schnur from the other two well-qualified candidates is the specificity and sense of urgency in his ideas, and his experience in high-level politics. Earlier in his career, Schnur was a Republican spokesman and strategist, including stints working for Gov. Pete Wilson and John McCain's 2000 presidential campaign.

"I switched (registration to No Party Preference in 2011) because I believed that both parties were complicit in a broken system," Schnur said.

He's absolutely right.

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Pacoima (Los Angeles County), has a clear edge in fundraising and name recognition - and the distinct baggage of helping fund the legal case against redistricting reform. Also, as a 1999 candidate for Los Angeles City Council, Padilla was fined $79,000 - largest in the city's history - for breaking city spending limits.

Padilla is the only candidate in this race who refused to make public the questionnaires he filled in for various interest groups. Schnur, Cressman, Peterson and Green Party candidate David Curtis all agreed to our request to make them public. Even Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, had begun to e-mail us his questionnaires until he was indicted on corruption charges and forced to drop out of the race.

California needs a secretary of state whose words - and actions - leave no doubt about his or her commitment to transparent and fair elections. Dan Schnur gets our endorsement in the June primary.