"I’m ready to ‘pass the baton’ to the next generation of leaders. I am hopeful that the tradition of professionalism, integrity and a strong commitment to voter access will continue to be the hallmark of this office,” DeBeauvoir said in a statement.
The clerk plans to retire at the end of December or January, a representative from the clerk's office confirmed, and will recommend that Travis County commissioners tap her chief deputy Adana Hess as interim clerk. If selected, Hess would serve as interim clerk until the end of 2022, when DeBeauvoir's current term expires. A regular election for the position is scheduled for Nov. 8, 2022.
DeBeauvoir's announcement comes ahead of the Nov. 13 filing period opening for candidates who intend to run in party primaries for countywide offices. So far, at least one candidate, Democrat Kurt Lockhart, has announced his intention to run for clerk.
DeBeauvoir has been re-elected eight times since she began her tenure as clerk in 1986. She said she will continue to work on local, national and international efforts to bolster and protect voter rights and voter security following her retirement.
