Salem, OR—The following is a statement from Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan on today’s inauguration ceremony:

As a new lawmaker in my first term, I sat in a roundtable in then Secretary of State Kate Brown’s office and helped map out a plan to pass Oregon’s groundbreaking automatic voter registration law. As Governor Kate Brown exits today, Oregon is celebrating the distinction of the highest voter turnout in the nation in the 2022 election. Governor Brown leaves a legacy of trailblazing and lifesaving, and I will miss her.

I am excited to celebrate another trailblazer today, Oregon’s new Governor, Tina Kotek. After serving with Governor-Elect Kotek in the Oregon House when she was the Speaker, I have no doubt that she is eager to cut through the ceremony and get back to work solving Oregon’s biggest challenges. I celebrate her today, not only because of her barrier-breaking accession to Oregon’s highest office, but because of how hard she will work for all of Oregon for the next four years.

Lastly, I want to congratulate all the new lawmakers in Salem today. It was not that long ago that I joined my family on the floor of the Oregon House and took my oath of office. I hope all the new and returning lawmakers take a moment to soak up the excitement and celebration today. Oregon is lucky to have you.

Under the practice of limiting events where the Governor, Secretary of State and Treasurer are in the same high-profile location, Secretary Fagan will assume the role of “designated survivor” during today’s inauguration. Secretary Fagan will not attend the ceremony, and instead she will view Governor-Elect Kotek’s inauguration from an undisclosed location. Deputy Secretary of State Cheryl Myers will attend today's inauguration on behalf of the Secretary.