Committee meets governor’s appointees for administration, elections and secretary of the Commonwealth

The Privileges and Elections Committee on Monday received three of Governor Spanberger’s appointees and heard their introductory remarks and brief questions from members.

Tracy DeShazer, the governor’s nominee for secretary of administration, summarized prior experience in state and municipal roles and said she intends to modernize systems, strengthen the workforce and safeguard democratic participation. DeShazer noted prior work on restoring opportunities for people reentering the community and said those efforts strengthen democracy.

Steven Koski, the nominee for commissioner of elections, described a background in law and several roles at the Department of Elections, including legal and compliance adviser and election services manager. Koski said he would prioritize nonpartisan operations, close collaboration with local general registrars, training and outreach if confirmed. “I will work every day to further the mission of the department to promote and support accurate, fair, and open, and secure elections for the citizens of the Commonwealth,” Koski said.

Candy Munden King, nominated to be secretary of the Commonwealth, described the office’s duties — managing gubernatorial appointments and official records, overseeing notary public functions and restoration of rights — and said she plans to modernize constituent services and make the boards‑and‑commissions application process easier. She asked the public to use the governor’s website to apply for boards and commissions and noted the executive branch intends to move quickly to process applications and restoration requests.

Committee members asked about restoration‑of‑rights processing and timelines. The appointees said they were working to review applications, improve access to systems, and coordinate across offices so eligible Virginians can regain access to voting and other civic rights.