Not every topic in the heated race for secretary of state is a negative, attack-style ad. Republican nominee John Hancock has taken issue with the number of state holidays that close state offices.

Appearing in Cape Girardeau Oct. 14 -- Columbus Day, Hancock pledged that, if he wins the Nov. 5 election, he would open the office on that day along with George Washington's birthday, Abraham Lincoln's birthday and Harry Truman's birthday. "The fact is on a day like Columbus Day, most people are working," Hancock said. "If they need some resource or document from the secretary of state's office, they can't get it." He says his plan would implement a schedule that would allow two shifts of employees to work the same number of hours per week with overlapping shifts.

Incumbent Bekki Cook disputes the need for Hancock's proposed reform in these words: "In my 21 months in office not one person ... has suggested that we expand the working hours. So this suggests that Mr. Hancock is not responding to a demand, but just pandering to what he thinks the public wants to hear."

Maybe. But just maybe working Missourians, the vast majority of whom don't get these holidays off from work, would greatly appreciate the extra service from an office that is custodian for documents that aren't available from any other source.