WaPo:

The Democratic Association of Secretaries of State is launching an initiative to try to wrest control of those offices from Republicans, who the group claims have used their power to make it harder for certain demographics to vote.

Buoyed by successes last year in Arizona, Colorado and Michigan, the group has set its sights on flipping five more states in 2020. In addition to recruiting and supporting Democratic candidates, the association is planning a public education campaign on the importance of secretaries of state, who oversee the election process in most states.

The offices of governor, U.S. senator and even attorney general tend to get more attention in statewide elections than that of secretary of state. But Alex Padilla, California’s secretary of state and the president of the association, said Republicans understand the influence of the office and have used it unfairly to their party’s advantage….

The Democratic Association of Secretaries of State hopes to unseat Republicans in Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Washington and West Virginia next year and will work to reelect Democratic secretaries in North Carolina and Vermont. Padilla said the group also will support Democrats in races this fall in Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi. Republicans currently have a 25-to-22 advantage among secretaries of state. The office does not exist in Alaska, Hawaii and Utah.