Cheryl Moomey, Essex town clerk and treasurer, will announce her candidacy for secretary of state Thursday. Moomey, a Republican, has scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference in Montpelier.

Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, a Democrat, has proven tough to beat since taking office in 1998. She faced no opposition two years ago _ she took 99.3 percent of the vote. Four years ago, she beat Republican Mike Bertrand, who is now deputy secretary of administration, 58.8-37.1 perent. In 2000, she bested then-Republican Larry Drown, 61.2-36.5 percent. She beat Republican Jim Milne in 1998, 47.8-45.2 percent.

Moomey has been critical of same-day voter registration, a change in Vermont elections that Markowitz has generally supported and has strongly been pushed by the Progressive Party.

_ Terri Hallenbeck