Democrat Tobias Read, Republican Dennis Linthicum to face off for Secretary of State

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – It’s been a year since the last elected Oregon Secretary of State resigned from office, giving Democrat Tobias Read and Republican Dennis Linthicum a chance to go head to head for the role in November.

As of 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, current Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read won the Democratic primary with 205,315 votes (70.89%) while Senator Dennis Linthicum (District 28) took the top Republican spot with 139,142 votes (65.2%).

Click here to view up-to-date Oregon 2024 Primary Election results

Two years into her term, former secretary Shemia Fagan stepped down from the office amid scandal in May 2023 as her recusal from a state audit on the cannabis industry earlier in the year spurred an investigation.

The investigation followed ethics concerns for her paid consulting work with Veride Holding LLC, an affiliate of cannabis company La Mota. Her contract was active as her office audited the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission and concluded that Oregon laws were hindering cannabis businesses.

Deputy Secretary Cheryl Myers oversaw the agency until Gov. Tina Kotek appointed LaVonne Griffin-Valade to the position in June 2023.

Since then, eight candidates – five Democrats and three Republicans – have stepped forward. The primary election on Tuesday, May 21 will determine the candidate that will represent their party in the upcoming November election.

Candidate Profiles

Democrat Tobias Read

Leaving behind his role as Oregon Treasurer (which he has served since 2017), Read claims to be the only candidate for Secretary of State who checks the boxes for “strong leadership with successful experience in running a statewide agency with varied responsibilities.”

Read addressed the changes he would make to the office in his questionnaire with KOIN 6 News, stating he plans to build on Oregon’s legacy as “a national leader in elections policy” by pushing for programs like “satellite voting centers and services that alert voters that their ballots have been received and counted can help boost turnout and improve public trust in state government.”

Republican Dennis Linthicum

A current Oregon Senator for District 28 covering parts of Northeastern Jackson County, Southern Deschutes, and all of Klamath County, Linthicum claims his background as a government official and trained economist “uniquely positions [him] to unlock the full potential” of the Secretary of State’s office.

Linthicum, in his response to a KOIN 6 News questionnaire, said his focus would be on election integrity as well as “departments and agencies that have a statewide impact.” He said he will perform regular audits to “identify areas for improvement, ensure compliance with regulations, and optimize resource allocation.”

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