Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Announces Resignation, Effective Monday May 8

Oregon Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 05/02/2023 11:14 AM PDT

P R E S S R E L E A S E

Secretary of State
SHEMIA FAGAN

The State of Oregon

Contact: Ben Morris, 971-209-5521, ben.morris@sos.oregon.gov

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Announces Resignation, Effective Monday May 8

SALEM, OR — Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced her resignation today, effective Monday May 8.

The Secretary will continue in her official duties until Monday, May 8, at which point Deputy Secretary Cheryl Myers will take on oversight of the agency until a new Secretary is appointed by the Governor. The Deputy has the power to perform any act or duty of the Secretary of State pertaining to the office of the Secretary (ORS 177.040) and is well positioned to help the agency maintain stability and continuity of operations during this transition.

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.

The following is a statement from Secretary of State Shemia Fagan:

“While I am confident that the ethics investigation will show that I followed the state’s legal and ethical guidelines in trying to make ends meet for my family, it is clear that my actions have become a distraction from the important and critical work of the Secretary of State’s office. Protecting our state’s democracy and ensuring faith in our elected leaders – these are the reasons I ran for this office. They are also the reasons I will be submitting my resignation today. I want to thank the incredible staff in the Secretary of State’s office for their hard work and Oregonians for the opportunity to serve them. It has been a true honor to serve the people of Oregon.

“At this time, I believe it is in the best interest of our state for me to focus on my children, my family, and personal reflection so that the Secretary of State staff can continue to offer the exemplary customer service Oregonians deserve.”

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About Secretary Shemia Fagan

Pronunciation: shuh-MEE-uh (rhymes with “Maria”) FAY-gen (rhymes with “Megan”)

Shemia Fagan is Oregon’s 28th Secretary of State. She grew up in small Oregon towns, Dufur and The Dalles, and was raised by her single dad and two older brothers. Her public service began on her local school board. She was later elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, then to the Oregon State Senate. Secretary Fagan was a civil rights attorney before being elected to Secretary of State in 2020. She stays busy keeping up with her young children, teaching her dog not to jump on people and being a fanatic for women’s basketball.

About Oregon SOS

The Oregon Secretary of State is one of three constitutional offices created at statehood. Oregon’s Secretary of State is Oregon’s chief elections officer, chief auditor, chief archivist, and oversees business and nonprofit filings. The Secretary of State also serves as one of three members of the State Land Board and as the chair of the Oregon Sustainability Board. Under Article V, Section 8a of the Oregon Constitution, if there is a vacancy in the office of Governor, the Secretary of State becomes governor. As an independently elected constitutional officer, the Secretary of State answers directly and solely to the people of Oregon.

Our Mission

Build trust between the people of Oregon and their state government so Oregonians trust the public services that can make a positive difference in their everyday lives.

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Announces Resignation, Effective Monday May 8

P R E S S R E L E A S E

Secretary of StateSHEMIA FAGAN

The State of Oregon

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Announces Resignation, Effective Monday May 8

Secretary of State
SHEMIA FAGAN