Governor Steve Beshear appointed Elaine Walker, the current mayor of Bowling Green, as Kentucky’s new Secretary of State.  Current Secretary of State Trey Grayson resigned to accept a job at Harvard University.

“This constitutional office is too important to the citizens of this state to allow any delay in appointing a new leader,” said Gov. Beshear.  “Therefore, I am excited to announce that Elaine has accepted this position and agreed to bring the skills and commitment she has shared with the people of Bowling Green to Frankfort.  I am confident that she will be an excellent leader for our state.” 

“It is an honor to be selected by Governor Beshear to serve the Commonwealth as Secretary of State,” said Walker.  “I pledge to the Governor and to all the citizens of Kentucky that I will perform the functions of this important position in an honorable, thoughtful and dedicated manner. The Office of Secretary of State has special significance to me since it was the first statewide office in Kentucky where a woman, Emma Guy Cromwell, was elected to serve in 1923.  I am also pleased to announce my intention to file to run for a full term for Secretary of State.”

The Secretary of State is one of seven statewide constitutional officers elected in Kentucky every four years. The office oversees the administration of all elections for public office in Kentucky, as well as the incorporation of businesses in the state.  The office also maintains records related to the Governor and the General Assembly.

About Elaine Walker

Elaine Nogay Walker is the 39th mayor of Bowling Green, Ky., and the first in the city’s history to be elected to two successive terms. Walker has nearly 30 years of government experience, including positions with two U.S. Representatives and the Los Angeles City Council.

Mayor Walker is only the second Kentucky mayor to be elected to the highly competitive Board of Trustees for the U. S. Conference of Mayors.  She also serves as Chair of the International Relations Committee, and was Chair of the Women Mayors of America’s Cities from 2007-2009.

In May 2010, Walker was one of four U. S. mayors chosen to participate in the Sino/U.S. Mayors Summit in Chengdu, China, exploring environmental and sustainable development issues with mayors from across China.  Walker is President of Kentucky League of Cities, Treasurer of the Barren River Area Development District and serves on numerous public and private boards and commissions. Mayor Walker was also designated by MSNBC as one of the nation’s 15 Greenest Mayors.

Prior to entering public service, Walker was Public Affairs Director for KCAL-TV in Los Angeles and worked in communications with various companies and organizations in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.  She has been married for 33 years to Dorian Walker, a decorated Vietnam veteran, and has two children.