John Koontz (October 19, 1902 – March 21, 1995) was an American politician who served as the Secretary of State of Nevada from 1947 to 1973.[1][2] He was the longest-serving politician to hold this office, winning 7 successive elections.[3] During his tenure, he established state archives and preserved all the valuable records.[2]
Koontz was born on October 19, 1906, in Goldfield, Nevada, to Louis Kossuth and Ada Mae Koontz. He worked as a miner, a cowpuncher, and a grocery store clerk.[4] He entered politics in 1934 when he was elected county recorder of Esmeralda County.[4]
From 1958 to 1959, Koontz served as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State. He worked as a campaign manager for Mary Gojack and Harry Reid.[5]
In 1973, he resigned from the office.[2]
Koontz died on March 21, 1995.[5]
References
- ^ "Previous Secretaries of State". nvsos.gov. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Former secretary of state likes Nevada 'the way it used to be'". ProQuest. ProQuest 259829166.
- ^ Heller, Dean (2006). Political History of Nevada (PDF) (11th ed.). Carson City, Nevada. pp. 6, 190. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 6, 2024.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION--Memorializing former Secretary of State, John Koontz". Nevada State Legislature. June 6, 1995. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
- ^ a b "Milestones from Friday 7th March 24, 1995". Reno Gazette-Journal. March 24, 1995. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
