Governor Abbott Appoints New Secretary of State to Oversee Election Integrity

AUSTIN, TX –– Governor Greg Abbott announced on Thursday that John Scott has been appointed as the new Secretary of State whose primary job will be to oversee elections under the newly passed election integrity law.

As the Chief Election Officer for the state, Scott will assist "county election officials and ensuring the uniform application and interpretation of election laws throughout Texas."

The secretary also publishes government rules and regulations and commissions notaries public, is the keeper of the state seal, and attestor to the Governor's signature on official documents.

The secretary also serves as senior advisor and liaison to the Governor for Texas Border and Mexican Affairs and serves as Chief International Protocol Officer for Texas.

"John Scott is a proven leader with a passion for public service, and his decades of experience in election law and litigation make him the ideal choice for the Texas Secretary of State," said Governor Abbott. "John understands the importance of protecting the integrity of our elections and building the Texas brand on an international stage. I am confident that John's experience and expertise will enhance his oversight and leadership over the biggest and most thorough election audit in the country. I am proud to appoint John as the Texas Secretary of State and look forward to working alongside him to ensure Texas remains the best state in the nation." 

Scott has been an attorney for more than three decades. During his time as an attorney, Scott tried over 100 lawsuits and has experience with handling cases at the 

• United States Supreme Court
• Supreme Court of Texas, United States Court of Appeals for the Second, Fifth, Seventh, and Tenth Circuits, 
• Almost all Texas Courts of Appeals, 
• United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western District Courts of Texas, 
• Texas state courts
• State Office of Administrative Hearings

According to a press release from the governor's office, Scott's courtroom victories include securing, at the time, the largest judgment in an asbestos trial in U.S. history and the successful defense of an HMO, which the National Law Journal declared the U.S. Healthcare Victory of the Year.

Scott previously served as Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation under Greg Abbott when he served as Attorney General. During his time with the AG's office, Scott oversaw all civil litigation, including over 22,000 lawsuits involving Texas. 

Scott was later appointed as the first Chief Operating Officer of the Health and Human Services Commission where he oversaw the overhaul of an agency with 56,000 employees and a $50 billion biannual budget. 

After returning to private practice, Governor Abbott appointed Scott as the Chair of the Board for the Department of Information Resources (DIR). While serving as a board member, Scott developed the strategic plan for technology and security at Texas executive branch agencies and boards. 

Scott lives in Fort Worth and has offices in Austin. He has been married to his wife, Talley, for 34 years and has three sons and a grandson.