Jeanne Atkins sworn in as Oregon secretary of state

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Jeanne Atkins has been sworn in as Oregon’s new secretary of state.

Gov. Kate Brown administered the oath of office to Atkins on Wednesday.

Atkins, a Democrat, recently retired as the state director for U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, a post she’d held since 2009.

Before that, she was Merkley’s chief of staff when he was speaker of the state House.

She was formerly staff director of the Office of Family Health in the state Department of Human Services.

Atkins says it’s a privilege to have the opportunity “to protect and safeguard some of our deepest values as Oregonians.”

Brown was secretary of state until she took over as governor following John Kitzhaber’s resignation last month. Under state law, she appointed her replacement.