FRANCISCO "CISCO" V AGUILAR

NAME: Cisco Aguilar 

AGE:   49

PARTY AFFILIATION:   Democrat

DAY JOB:  

Nevada Secretary of State

EDUCATION: 

University of Arizona (MBA, JD, Bachelor’s in Finance and Accounting)

HOW LONG YOU HAVE LIVED IN NEVADA:  

22 years

WRITE A BRIEF (TWO TO THREE SENTENCES) SUMMARY OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD ENABLE YOU TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THIS OFFICE:

As a former business owner, I brought years of experience dealing with Nevada’s business licensing system into the office, and I knew exactly which areas we needed to improve to make that process more efficient and intuitive. And in office, I have supervised two major projects: One to replace our old, failing business portal with the latest technology, and another to bring the whole state under a cutting-edge Voter Registration and Elections Management System to ensure our elections and private voter data have the highest standard of cybersecurity.

WHAT IS YOUR TOP PRIORITY IF ELECTED?

We need to continue to cut red tape so that Nevadans who dream of starting a business can make that a reality. In every aspect of our business filing system, I always ask the question: Is this intuitive enough that anyone with a dream and a work ethic can do it? If our system isn’t built for the small business owner, it’s not doing its job.

IN JUST A FEW SENTENCES: WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING OUR STATE, AND HOW WOULD YOU FIX IT?

The biggest issue facing this state is the high cost of living. So many people are working multiple jobs and still struggling to put food on the table. My job as Secretary is to ensure every eligible Nevadan has access to the ballot box to hold their leadership accountable, whether that comes at the local, state, or national level. When we maximize participation in the democratic process, we get leadership that more accurately reflects the great people of our state.

CONSUMER PRICES, GAS PRICES, AND HOUSING COSTS ARE HISTORICALLY HIGH, WHILE WAGES HAVE NOT KEPT PACE IN NEVADA. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO HELP NEVADANS WHO ARE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY?

The Secretary of State’s office is the state’s third-largest revenue generator through business filing fees; when we attract more investment, that means more funding for the things we care about. For example, we are making a huge push to turn businesses away from Delaware to incorporate here. For every 5% of market share we take away from Delaware, that’s $100 million more to fund services in Nevada.

This gives lawmakers more funding to alleviate burdens on Nevada families, and empowers business owners to create jobs in their communities.

WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF AI, AND THE PROLIFERATION OF DATA CENTERS? WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE NEVADA TAKING IN EACH?

This created several issues my office needed to act quickly on: First, the use of AI in campaigning. It’s why we passed a law mandating that campaigns disclose when they use AI in their ads. Once voters see this required disclosure, they’ll have the information they need to make their decision.

The second was the need to improve our cybersecurity to defend against attacks from foreign adversaries that want to get into our elections, because the strength of these attacks will only improve as bad actors bolster their assaults with AI. When the state suffered one of the largest cyberattacks in history last year, our office held strong, and our employees used their new knowledge and training to help other departments get back up and running.

Regarding data centers, the job of my office is to ensure people can elect leaders that ensure accountability, from ensuring you aren’t footing the bill for increased energy demands, to protecting the environment.

IN ONE SENTENCE: WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING VOTERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU?

I didn’t want to run for office my whole life, I ran because the students of the school I built in North Las Vegas weren’t seeing civic engagement in their homes, and I want to make sure every single family is invested in the elections that shape their children’s futures.

YES OR NO: WILL YOU ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THIS ELECTION, WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE? 

Yes