By KALEY CONNER

kconner@dailynews.net

Salina native J.R. Claeys, one of three Republicans running for Kansas Secretary of State, filed Wednesday to appear on the Aug. 3 primary election ballot.

Besides overseeing elections, the secretary's office serves as a clearing house for various business filings. If elected, Claeys said he hopes to keep that process efficient and affordable for small businesses.

He was in Hays on Tuesday to attend an Ellis County Republican Party meeting.

"In this down economy, we're counting on them to create jobs, we're counting on them to turn things around," Claeys said. "We can't be raising prices on them, raising the cost of doing business, or creating more paperwork or more regulations, which will then hurt that business."

Claeys is facing Republicans Kris Kobach and Elizabeth Ensley in what has become a heated contest. The Democratic candidates are incumbent Chris Biggs and Chris Steineger.

Claeys earned an undergraduate degree at Kansas State University and later received a master's in public administration from George Washington University, Washington.

He has worked for the National Small Business Association and later was selected chief executive officer of the National Association of Government Contractors. He also is a certified international elections observer, according to his website.

Claeys anticipates future legislation will require voters to present a form of identification at the polls and said the next secretary should be prepared to implement such policy.

"It makes sense to have an identification program in Kansas that makes sense for us, and that is using a driver's license or state ID card," he said. "There's a lot of reason to do these things. Security is a big one, but really just the efficiency of the process. It eliminates errors."

Another of his goals would be efforts to boost civic engagement, he said, noting voter turnout is especially low for local elections.

"Those are the important things that affect you on a day-to-day basis, and that's where we need to see more people involved," Claeys said.

Claeys, who returned to Kansas in 2005, has been focusing on his campaign and traveling since he announced his candidacy in early 2009.

He said he always wanted to enter public service but does not have political ambitions beyond this position.

"This is really something that I'd like to do and my way of contributing to the state in which I was raised, in which I live," he said. "I think it's important for anyone to go into an office like this thinking that way. ... This is actually the office that I'd like to serve in. It's not a stepping stone."