The secretary of state plays a vital role in maintaining state business relations. Do you have a business you're launching, currently running, or thinking of starting some time in the future? If so, who your secretary of state is should indeed matter to you.

This midterm season, three Black leaders are running for the secretary of state seat in their respective states, and it could be yours.Here are the three Black candidates running for secretary of state. May you know them; may you vote for them.

1. Deidre DeJear for Iowa

The Democratic candidate for secretary of state, Deidre DeJear made history this past June, when she became the first Black woman to secure a nomination for statewide office in Iowa. As a skilled small business owner, the Mississippi native is confident in her ability to lead in this position, with a platform focused on the well-being of businesses.

.@DeidreDeJear believes that the right to vote protects all other rights. That’s why she’s got a really important ask for you on #NationalVoterRegistrationDay. Might want to turn the volume up for this one. ➡️ https://t.co/ZKn8fJEh9z
pic.twitter.com/tKsz4AveYh

— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) September 25, 2018

Find out more about DeJear at dejearforiowa.com.

2. Gwen Collins-Greenup for Louisiana

A Louisiana native and alumna of Southern University Law Center, Democratic candidate Gwen Collins-Greenup’s campaign is centered around the question, “What is the people's power?” She’s using her platform to get people excited about politics in a more practical way, with a focus on "people-powered participation, people-powered change and people-powered accountability." According to her website, she believes “all voters should have the power to participate in government, create positive change in [their respective] communities, and hold leaders accountable.”

I'm running for Louisiana Secretary of State because I want to see Louisiana win and have a next-level strategy to put Louisiana first. Check out this video to learn more… https://t.co/jENnJdSZ1s #WinWithGwen2018

— Gwen Collins-Greenup for Secretary of State (@gwensos2018) October 1, 2018

Find out more about Collins-Greenup at www.gwensos.com.

3. James Byrd for Wyoming

Currently a representative for House District 44 in Wyoming, James Byrd is a seasoned government official, who is no stranger to politics.

Rep. James Byrd—#WY's House Minority Whip—says marriage equality will strengthen #Wyoming! #WY4M
#WYLegis
#lgbt
pic.twitter.com/9IJ8Pv8Cir

— Wyoming Unites (@WY4Marriage) August 19, 2014

He is also the son of Harriet Elizabeth Byrd, who was the first Black woman to ever be elected to the Wyoming Legislature. Now in his fifth term in the Wyoming Legislature, Byrd has shifted his political ambitions to run as the Democratic candidate for Wyoming’s secretary of state.

“In the secretary of state’s office, there are a lot of things that are not getting done, a lot of things we can push the envelope on that are really inside the purview of the secretary of state," Byrd said in an article for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

Like his mother, if elected, this would be a historic win in the state; Bryd would be the first African American to serve in this position.

Find out more about Byrd at jameswbyrd4wysos.com.

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