“I’m very excited to begin this next chapter in my career of public service. I want to thank my family for their tremendous support and the many Texans who have inspired me to work on their behalf for so many years. I will continue to work on their behalf as Texas Secretary of State.”
– Secretary Jane Nelson
If you are looking for the official website of the Texas Secretary of State, please find it by clicking here or visiting https://www.sos.state.tx.us/index.shtml. If you want to follow our official social media channels, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
For the past three decades, it has been my distinct honor to represent our community in the Texas Senate. I am beginning a new chapter in public service as Texas’ 115th Secretary of State. I am honored and ready to work on behalf of all Texans.
As Secretary of State, my primary responsibility is to safeguard the integrity of our state’s elections. It is a sacred duty and one that I will faithfully uphold. All Texas voters should have confidence in fair, accurate elections across our 254 counties.
In addition to overseeing elections, the Secretary of State provides a repository for official, business, and commercial records; publishes agency rules and regulations; and serves as Texas’ top diplomat. In this capacity, I look forward to working with our many international partners – including our largest trading partner, Mexico – to enhance Texas’ position on the global stage and continue building our reputation as a global economic powerhouse.
Being sworn in as Texas’ 115th Secretary of State was an honor. Surrounded by my family, former Senate colleagues, and my team, I took the oath of office with my hand on the Sam Houston Bible. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving.
I hope you’ll take a moment to look through some of my favorite photos from that day.
In taking the oath of office, I was sworn in by Chief Justice Nathan Hecht with my hand on Sam Houston’s bible. I vowed to defend the Constitution and perform the duties of the office to the best of my ability. And that is precisely what I intend to do.
Another duty of the Secretary of State is to preside over the Texas House of Representatives on the first day of session until a Speaker is elected. This year, at the start of the 88th Legislative Session, I was privileged to administer the oath of office to 150 newly elected members of the Texas House of Representatives. As fate would have it, I became the first Texan to gavel in both the House and the Senate, having presided over opening day in the Senate last session.
To those of you who I represented for the past three decades, thank you for your faith in me. Hopefully, I lived up to my original promise: to listen, to work hard, and to get things done. I am grateful to have had your support all these years and am excited to continue in public service. I hope you’ll take a moment now and follow the Secretary of State’s Office on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
I met my husband Mike while attending the University of North Texas at Arlington. We now have five children and 12 wonderful grandchildren.
After graduating from UNT, I became a teacher, a mom, and a businesswoman before a life of public service let me to the State Senate. I was honored to serve as the Senator for Senate District 12 for more than three decades.
With your support, we accomplished many things. We passed over $8 billion in tax relief. We made Texas a more hospitable place to do business. We established the Cancer Research & Prevention Institute of Texas, created peer mental health programs for our veterans and law enforcement, dedicated lottery proceeds to education, and passed over 30 bills to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
I am heartened that we went out on a high note. I owe my family, staff, and colleagues in the Senate a debt of gratitude. To my constituents — I worked every day to earn the faith you placed in me as your State Senator.
My father, the late Robert Gray, was a World War II veteran who taught me to love my country. My mother, the late Edna Gray, was my hero; I served as her primary caretaker as she struggled with Alzheimer’s. She survived World War II and the Great Depression and still succeeded in the most important job of all — motherhood. I am proud to be their daughter.
As Emerson said, if we made one person breathe easier … we succeeded. We did. Rest assured that in this next chapter, I will keep fighting to build a better Texas.
If you would like to join my personal email list, please fill out the contact form below. I’ll be sending occasional updates about what we’re doing at the Secretary of State’s Office, along with other details about life in the Nelson family.
Please click here if you would like to download a high-resolution headshot of Secretary Nelson.
If you would like to download an official biography for Secretary Nelson, please click here.
