State Representative Val Hoyle filed Thursday to run for Oregon Secretary of State in the 2016 election. Hoyle is in her third term representing West Eugene and Junction City in the legislature.
The democrat earlier stepped down from her post as House Majority leader to explore a run for Secretary of State.
Hoyle says she wants to decrease barriers to voting for Oregonians.
Hoyle: "To insure that every person has a voice, every ballot's counted and that we have a fair elections process, regardless of where we are around the state."
Hoyle expects the May democratic primary for Secretary of State to be competitive.
Fellow Democrats, state Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian and state Senator Richard Devlin have also announced they'll run. Lane County Commissioner Sid Leiken says he plans to run for the statewide office as a Republican. Hoyle says she thinks he'll have competition in that primary.