Tobias Read is the Democratic Party's candidate for Oregon secretary of state in 2024.
Courtesy of campaign for Tobias Read
Editor’s note: Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Stay informed with OPB on the presidential race, key congressional battles and other local contests and ballot measures in Oregon and Southwest Washington at opb.org/elections.
OPB asked candidates for Oregon’s secretary of state the same questions. Candidates were given a 150-word limit. Anything beyond the 150-word total was not included in these responses. Read our coverage of this race here. See answers from Republican candidate Dennis Linthicum here and Pacific Green Party candidate Nathalie Paravicini here.
To start, please give us your name and basic biographical details, including your current position or job, any elected offices you have held and any key facts you would like voters to know about you.
I’m Tobias Read and I’m the Treasurer of Oregon. My parents instilled in me the importance of giving back to my community. After earning my BA at Willamette University and my MBA at the University of Washington, I worked in the private sector before deciding to run for public office. As State Representative and now in my current role as State Treasurer, I have sought to create a positive difference in the lives of everyday people through the policies and positions I advocate for. I want to open up pathways to success for all Oregonians, especially for communities that have historically been denied equal access to opportunities, either explicitly or implicitly. Whether it’s helping every student get a good start in education by leading the charge for full day kindergarten, or helping families save with the Oregon College Savings Plan by making trade school, apprenticeship programs, and college more affordable.
What are the job duties of the Secretary of State?
The primary responsibilities of the Secretary of State are to oversee elections, to audit expenditures of public funds, to register businesses, to manage the state archives, and to manage state lands as a member of the Land Board. As the state’s elections officer, the Secretary of State can increase transparency and expand voting access. They can ensure that audits are conducted based on data, not a political agenda. The Secretary of State can also improve access to state archives and come up with creative ways to preserve and protect state land, as I did with the Elliott Forest. Oregon needs a Secretary of State that can provide stability and restore trust in that role.
Why should you be elected Oregon’s next secretary of state?
My record of more than seven years of service as State Treasurer illustrates the approach I will bring to the Secretary of State’s office. As Treasurer, I manage a team of nearly 200 people and a portfolio of over $130 billion dollars, generating strong returns and responsibly managing pensions for hundreds of thousands of hard-working and retired public employees. My team implemented the nation’s first opt-out, state-run retirement program that now has over $250 million dollars that Oregonians have saved for their retirement — people who didn’t have that option before. The next Secretary of State is going to have to implement some complex policies, from campaign finance reform to, potentially, ranked-choice voting. We need a Secretary of State who will protect our democracy from threats of violence and misinformation and someone who will work to get more people participating in elections.
Related: What you need to know about voting in Oregon and Southwest Washington
In addition to this job’s many responsibilities, the secretary of state is next in line to be governor. What in your background prepares you for that responsibility?
Due to frequent turnover in the Secretary of State’s office, by the time my second term as State Treasurer is over, I will have served as next in line for nearly half of my tenure. I have worked with the past two governors and legislative leadership to make sure that Oregon is ready for any unpredictable changes. Leading a statewide agency has given me important experience, and I’m proud to have earned the support of the last four governors in my candidacy for Secretary of State.
How would you use the office’s power of the audit? What programs, agencies or issues do you believe deserve scrutiny from the secretary of state’s office?
As Secretary of State, I will ensure that our audits are free of political influence and focused on making government work more efficiently. Through audits, the Secretary of State’s office helps ensure that our government stays accountable to its many obligations and is delivering on its promises to Oregonians. I will conduct audits based on assessments of risk, not political or personal agendas.
Related: Issues important to Oregon voters
Oregon should be and must remain a vote-by-mail state exclusively. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
I agree. Our vote-by-mail system makes Oregon a national leader in participation. In fact, more states should look to Oregon as a model for conducting elections. Allowing people to vote at home creates a more convenient system that promotes deliberate, thoughtful participation in our electoral system. As Secretary of State, I will work to expand this system to ensure that all eligible Oregonians have the ability to participate in elections.
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What is the greatest challenge facing Oregon’s election system?
Some people are seeking to undermine confidence in our election system. The Secretary of State must seek to strengthen our system and boost confidence so more Oregonians choose to vote and remain engaged.
What is your view of ranked-choice voting? How would you implement and explain a system to Oregonians if voters approve this election change this fall?
If Oregonians choose to adopt ranked-choice voting, I will implement the will of voters. It is not my job to undermine their choice. This will require consistent engagement and outreach to Oregon’s 36 county clerks, all of whom are dedicated and committed public servants. It will also require working with the Legislature to ensure that state and local election officials have the resources they need to educate and communicate with voters around changes stemming from ranked-choice voting.