Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas wants another two years in office.

The Bradford Democrat announced her bid for reelection at a press conference Wednesday in the Statehouse. She was flanked by dozens of legislators who called her a colleague during her 18 years as a state representative.

“I am so proud of the work that we do to protect the public, to ensure government transparency and to safeguard our elections in Vermont,” Copeland Hanzas said Wednesday. “Since taking office in (2023), my team and I have embarked on a mission to revitalize democracy, to modernize our IT systems and to empower every Vermonter to do their civic duty.”

Copeland Hanzas is rounding out her first term in the statewide office overseeing Vermont’s elections and business administration, as well as professional licensing and lobbying registration. She prevailed in a hotly contested Democratic primary race after longtime Secretary of State Jim Condos announced he was retiring after more than 30 years in public office.

Immediately throwing her weight behind the secretary of state’s re-election bid was House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, who introduced Copeland Hanzas to a crowded room filled with campaign signs. Krowinski harkened back to two high-stakes debates during Copeland Hanzas’s time in the House: the Legislature’s overhaul of an underfunded state pension system, and her work overseeing the once-per-decade process of redrawing district lines.

“In those difficult times, I knew I could always count on Sarah’s tireless work ethic and her unwavering dedication to the future of our state,” Krowinski said.

With Copeland Hanzas’s announcement Wednesday, at least half of Vermont’s statewide executive officers are confirmed to be running for re-election. Already, Attorney General Charity Clark and Treasurer Mike Pieciak, both Democrats, launched their bids. The deadline for major party candidates to file in time for August’s primary is May 30.