Oregon Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 05/03/2023 03:35 PM PDT
Oregon Secretary of State's Office
Public Service Building, 255 Capitol St. NE, Salem OR 97310 503-986-1500 | oregon.sos@sos.oregon.gov
Deputy Myers' prior public service roles include Director of Economic & Business Equity in the Governor’s Office, Chief of Staff for the Higher Education Commission and as Operations & Engagement Director for Educator Advancement in the Chief Education Office and 8 years as an elected school board member. Her biography is available on the SOS website.
Dear Oregonians,
I’m introducing myself to you under difficult circumstances. This week, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan admitted to a mistake and resigned her position. I believe she made the right decision by resigning.
I will assume the duties as Acting Secretary of State on Monday, May 8th, until the Governor makes an appointment for a new Secretary of State to serve the remainder of the term. While I already possess the same authorities as the Secretary from when originally sworn in as Deputy SoS, I am not an elected official. Since December 2020, my role has been to manage the directors of the Elections, Audits, Archives, Corporation and internal divisions, with a focus on helping them serve Oregonians. That’s what I’ll continue to do through this transition.
This is a resilient agency. Secretary Fagan put us in an unfortunate situation, but her resignation will allow agency staff to continue their good work with less distraction moving forward. We have strong division leadership and internal systems that can withstand change. We are ready to continue the important work of the Secretary of State’s office during this transition.
My first priority is to make sure Oregonians receive the customer service they deserve. This agency does such critical work, and it’s our job to put Oregonians first during this transition.
Warmly,
Cheryl Myers Deputy Secretary of State
The work continues. Here are latest news and events from the agency.
SoS budget will protect democracy, improve Oregon’s business environment, increase accountability and protect vital public records
In April, we presented our agency budget request to legislators. This includes Elections, Audits, Corporation and the State Archives. Here’s a brief rundown of what this request will do, if approved by the State Legislature:
Provide the Oregon Elections Division with more resources to investigate campaign finance violations, support voting systems and improve security procedures.
Counter misinformation by funding election-related public education campaigns.
Improve customer service at the Corporation Division.
Increase accountability in government by creating a legislative audits team.
Protect vital public records at the Oregon State Archives.
This month, contributors to the Oregon Blue Book met in Salem and were recognized for their work by the State Legislature. The new Blue Book is packed with incredible essays and photographs from across the state. Check out the cover photography from Micah Lundstedt (front cover photographer) and Dale George (back cover photographer). Read the amazing student essay winner, My Pandemic Experience by Ashlyn Huang. Or check out our National Monument Essayists, Dr Douglas Deur and Jason McClaughry.
High deserts stretched under big skies; rugged, snowcapped mountains cradling delicate alpine lakes; magnificent beaches watched over by sea stacks and lighthouses — Oregon’s natural beauty is on display in the State Archives’ new online exhibit Oregon's National Monuments: Hidden in Plain Sight.
What makes voting in Oregon so different from most of the country, and how did it get to be that way? Allison Dobscha, a student at the University of Oregon, School of Journalism & Communication, explains that it comes down to three key factors: a free voters' pamphlet, universal vote by mail, and automatic voter registration. Watch the video.
National Volunteer Appreciation Week
The State Archives hosted a volunteer appreciation lunch for National Volunteer Appreciation Week on April 18th where Deputy Secretary Myers presented each volunteer with a certificate and staff came together to celebrate our wonderful volunteers. Our volunteers come to us from many different paths - some as young professionals interested in learning more about archival science and others as retired professionals looking to help contribute to our mission. Their contributions include editing metadata and processing valuable collections to make items more accessible. We are so lucky to have them as part of our team here at the Secretary of State’s office!