Fredreka Schouten had this story in CNN. Here is an excerpt:

Republicans and Democrats are gearing up for expensive battles to influence a crop of contests next year that often go unnoticed: secretary of state races.

Former President Donald Trump’s persistent and fruitless efforts to overturn the 2020 election results — along with a bevy of new state laws that erect fresh barriers to voting — have put a spotlight on these posts. Outside groups plan to spend millions to sway the outcomes, and multiple candidates are lining up to become election chiefs in the battleground states that will decide the presidency in 2024.

In all, 26 positions for secretary of state are on the ballot next year, 14 of which are held by Republicans and 12 by Democrats.

Read the full article here.