SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has appointed Bev Clarno as secretary of state.
Clarno, 83, is a former state legislator from Redmond, who has served as house speaker and Senate Republican leader.
“Bev’s career is marked by her trailblazing spirit, focus on fiscal responsibility, and a commitment to Oregonians,” said Brown in a news release. “Bev’s experience as a legislator and as a manager of a large government organization is key to the success of the programs and employees the Secretary of State oversees. I’m confident that Bev will continue the legacy of accountability and integrity that Secretary Richardson left on the office of Secretary of State."
Clarno was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1988. She was re-elected three times and served as house speaker from 1995-1997. In 2000, she was elected to the Oregon State Senate. She was Senate Republican Leader in 2003.
Clarno will be sworn in during the week of April 1.
“I'm honored by the confidence that Governor Brown has placed in me and pledge to be a good steward of the office. I know there is not a Republican way or a Democrat way to oversee elections—there is only a fair and honest way. There is not a Republican way or a Democrat way to audit state agencies, there is only a fair, thorough, and honest way. I will administer the key functions of this office in a way that will earn the trust and faith of all Oregonians,” Clarno said in a news release.
Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat, said he welcomes Clarno back into state politics.
“I’m very pleased to learn Bev Clarno, whom I served with in the Legislature, has been appointed the next Oregon Secretary of State. She’s as good as you get. She has strong values and is very credible,” Senator Courtney said in a statement. “But more importantly, she’s fair, very fair. We’re glad to have her back serving the people of Oregon.”
The governor told reporters on Friday that she was committed to choosing a Republican who promised not to seek re-election in 2020. Brown said she wanted the secretary of state to focus on overseeing the election, not on running for office. The position is the state's second-highest office behind the governor.
Clarno succeeds the late Dennis Richardson, a Republican who was elected to a four-year term in 2016. He died from brain cancer in February.