AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Secretary of State John Scott announced Monday he is resigning from his office, effective at the end of the year. Scott began his tenure as Texas secretary of state in October 2021, following an appointment from Gov. Greg Abbott.
In his announcement, Scott said he would be returning to his private legal practice following his departure. During his time in office, Scott oversaw four statewide elections in 2022, as well as a forensic audit into the 2020 General Election in Texas. The findings of that audit will be released after he leaves office on Dec. 31.
“When I took office as Texas Secretary of State in October of last year, I did so with a singular goal and mission in mind: to help restore Texas voters’ confidence in the security of our state’s elections,” Scott wrote in his letter to Abbott.
This was no small task, and I approached my duty with humility, patience, and an open mind. By listening directly to the concerns of local election officials, voters, and grassroots activists from across the political spectrum, I was able to understand how to better educate Texas voters about their most sacred civic duty. I also gained a deep appreciation for the difficult, meticulous, and often thankless work of local election officials in safeguarding the integrity of the ballot box.
I am proud to say that Texas has made tremendous progress in restoring faith in our elections over the past year, and that the Texas Secretary of State’s office has developed a successful framework for analyzing and transparently reporting on election security through the forensic election audit process.
With a successful 2022 General Election in the rear view mirror, and the final findings of the 2020 Texas forensic audit soon to be released, I write to inform you that I intend to return to my private law practice at the beginning of the New Year.
Texas Secretary of State John Scott in his resignation letter to Gov. Greg Abbott
To read Scott’s full resignation letter, click here.