(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Cole Jester was sworn in as Arkansas' 35th Secretary of State on Thursday in a public swearing-in ceremony held at the State Capitol. Supreme Court Associate Justice Cody Hiland administered the oath of office.
"I want to thank Secretary Thurston for his years of continued service. I look forward to serving the people of Arkansas and I want to thank Governor Sanders for this opportunity. My office will lead with bold, conservative, and principled ideas. I want to make Arkansas a model for the nation in the areas of election integrity, Capitol security, and government efficiency and service." said Secretary Jester.
Jester was appointed to the position by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to fulfill the remaining two years of Secretary of State John Thurston's term, following his election as Treasurer of State. Jester will serve until January 2027.
About Cole Jester
Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester is a lifelong Arkansan and constitutional lawyer who has been involved in tackling many of Arkansas’s most pressing issues.
Working for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Secretary Jester spearheaded efforts to stop the Chinese Communist Party from buying Arkansas farmland and worked to reduce hundreds of burdensome government regulations. While serving on the Governor’s staff, he oversaw litigation against Big Tech, focusing on its intentionally addictive designs.
As Secretary of State, Jester is focused on intentional service to the people of Arkansas through promoting election security and streamlining corporate filings.
Secretary Jester was appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, effective January 1, 2025. He previously served two years as the Deputy Chief Legal Counsel for Governor Sanders. Before joining the Governor’s Office, Cole worked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. While attending the University of Virginia School of Law, he clerked for the firm of Friday, Eldridge, & Clark, worked for the United States Air Force, and argued criminal cases in Virginia district court. He also served as the Managing Editor of The Journal of Law and Politics, founded in 1983 by Justice Antonin Scalia.
Cole is a Benton, Arkansas native who graduated valedictorian of Benton High School and summa cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University with a degree in Christian Studies as well as political science. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. Cole is a proud husband to his wife, Elizabeth, and father to his daughter, Charlotte. He is a Christian, a Sunday School teacher, a member of the National Rifle Association, and an avid deer hunter.
