TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Uber and Google executive is running for the Democratic nomination for Kansas secretary of state.

Brian McClendon announced his candidacy Monday. He said in a statement that the secretary of state’s job has evolved and now requires an understanding of the technical issues in securing elections and protecting voters’ private information.

McClendon stepped down last year as an Uber vice president and returned to his hometown of Lawrence. The 53-year-old advises startup companies, invests in them and is a research professor in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Kansas.

He joined the ride service as a vice president in 2015 after serving nearly 11 years as Google’s vice president of engineering.

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach is running for governor this year.