DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is the new president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, a professional organization for top state election officials.

Pate was sworn in July 3 at the group’s annual meeting in New Mexico and will serve as the NASS president through July 2020.

Pate is the second Iowa official to lead the group since its founding in 1904. The first was Melvin Synhorst in 1960.

Pate says he will make election security his top priority. He says the group’s mission for 2020 is to ensure “the sanctity of the vote is protected at every level, from the smallest county to the largest state.”

Pate’s colleagues from other states also voted to award him the NASS IDEAS award for his election cybersecurity efforts.