In the recent primary election, I was a DFL candidate for Minnesota secretary of state.

I ran because I believe incumbent Secretary of State Mark Ritchie is wrong to oppose a photo ID for voting, wrong to reject military ballots and wrong to allow partisanship to cloud his office’s official functions.

Consequently, I have endorsed Republican Dan “Doc” Severson for secretary of state for the general election in November. As a veteran, I have been appalled at Mark Ritchie’s behavior in office.

I believe we need a secretary of state who will execute his duties with precision, integrity and discipline, and I believe that, with his military background, Doc will do this, whereas Mark Ritchie is incapable.

Nearly one in every five rank-and-file Democrats who participated in the primary voted to fire Mark Ritchie and to hire me, instead, and for good reason. I encourage all of the 70,000-plus DFL voters who supported me in the primary and everyone like them now to turn their support to Severson.

Dick Franson

Minneapolis