On Wednesday, Secretary of State-elect Wes Allen announced staff appointments for his office which will become effective Jan. 16 after he is inaugurated.
Clay Helms
Helms, who served in the Secretary of State’s office for the previous three officeholders, will be elevated to chief of staff. The Auburn University graduate and Troy native has served as assistant director of elections, director of elections and deputy chief of staff.
“I am excited to appoint Clay Helms to serve as my Chief of Staff,” said Allen. “He has the experience, dedication and temperament that I was looking for to help me lead the office and to ensure that we create a culture of hard work, dedication and respect for the taxpayers who interact with the Office of the Secretary of State.”
Former State Rep. Mike Jones (R-Andalusia)
Jones will serve Allen’s office as general counsel. Jones previously served as chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee. A graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, he has been a practicing attorney for more than two decades.
“Mike is an excellent attorney and he knows the laws of this state as well as anyone,” Allen said. “His knowledge of the law and of the inner operations of government will make him an invaluable asset to me, the staff and to the people of Alabama.”
Jonathan Hester
Allen has appointed Hester to serve as director of government relations. Hester holds years of experience serving in vital roles for Gov. Kay Ivey. His appointment comes on the heels of a successful stint serving as deputy campaign manager for the governor’s re-election bid.
Hester, a graduate of Auburn University, worked closely with the Legislature in his previous role as Ivey’s policy advisor.
“Jonathan understands the legislative process well and his relationships with the legislators in both chambers make him a great fit for this position,” Allen explained. “He is a hard worker who understands the goals of this office and the importance of the legislative process in our day to day operations.”
Jeff Elrod
Elrod will serve as Allen’s director of elections. Elrod, who has been involved with elections administration on several levels, holds experience working in both the elections office and on the field side of elections. Elrod is a graduate of the University of Alabama.
“Jeff brings a wealth of experience to the Elections Division but he also brings a respect for the people who do the job of administering our elections in each of Alabama’s 67 counties,” Allen said. “Building positive relationships with members of Boards of Registrars, Probate Judges, Circuit Clerks and Sheriffs is essential to a successful Elections Division and he is invested in ensuring that he builds cooperative relationships with elections officials and personnel across the state.”
Laney Kelley
Kelley will serve as director of scheduling and executive administrative assistant. He will join the office after serving as a consultant and scheduler for Allen’s secretary of state campaign.
“I am confident that Laney will be an asset to the Office of the Secretary of State. She understands the intricacies of the scheduling process and balancing a multitude of requests simultaneously,” Allen said. “Her intelligence and experience will be very beneficial to the Office of the Secretary of State.”
Dylan Smith is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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