Oregon Governor Announces When She Will Pick New Secretary Of State

Salem, Ore. — In a statement released today, Governor Tina Kotek announced that she will wait until after the local elections are over to appoint a new Secretary of State. The Governor noted that the staff in the Secretary of State’s office and the elections team are working hard to ensure that the election goes smoothly and without disruption, and she did not want to distract from their important work.

The announcement comes on the heels of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s resignation, which took effect on Monday, May 8. Deputy Secretary Cheryl Myers will take over the oversight of the agency. The Deputy Secretary will have the power to perform any act or duty of the Secretary of State pertaining to the office of the Secretary, and is expected to help the agency maintain stability and continuity of operations during this transition.

In a statement, Fagan said that while she was confident that the ethics investigation into her actions would show that she followed the state’s legal and ethical guidelines, she realized that her actions had become a distraction from the important work of the Secretary of State’s office. Fagan added that she wanted to focus on her family and personal reflection, so that the Secretary of State staff can continue to offer the exemplary customer service that Oregonians deserve.

The Oregon Elections Division and Oregon’s 36 county elections officials are fully prepared to administer the May 16 Special Districts Election. The Elections Division will work with counties to complete the normal activities involved with administering local elections. With Deputy Secretary Myers taking over the oversight of the agency, the Oregon Secretary of State’s office is expected to continue operating smoothly during this transition period.