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Field Growing In Oregon Secretary Of State Race

File photo of state Representative Val Hoyle. The Democrat has entered the race for Oregon secretary of state.
Val Hoyle
/
Flickr
File photo of state Representative Val Hoyle. The Democrat has entered the race for Oregon secretary of state.

The most competitive race on next May's primary ballot in Oregon is shaping up to be for secretary of state. A third Democrat entered the field Thursday.

Val Hoyle is a state representative who served as the head of the House Democratic caucus in the 2015 session. She joins a field that includes Democratic state Senator Richard Devlin and state Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian.

On the Republican side, Lane County Commissioner Sid Leiken is so far the only GOP contender.

Current Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins was appointed to the office in March after the former secretary, Kate Brown, became governor in the wake of John Kitzhaber’s resignation. Atkins said at the time that she did not intend to seek a full term.

The Oregon secretary of state is the state's chief elections officer. The office holder also oversees the state's audits division, archives, and business licensing.

Hoyle, Devlin and Avakian are scheduled to take part in a debate this Sunday at a Democratic Party of Oregon summit in Sunriver.

Copyright 2015 Northwest News Network

Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.