Newly elected county officials took their oath of office during a brief ceremony Thursday afternoon at the Law and Justice Center in Coupeville.

It was standing-room-only in a courtroom as county employees and friends of the newly elected officials came to see the swearing in of Sheriff Mark Brown, Commissioner John Dean, Assessor Dave Mattens, Auditor Suzanne Sinclair, Coroner Robert Bishop, Treasurer Linda Riffe and Clerk Sharon Franzen. Brown brought a Bible with him when he took his oath, which is an option for elected officials.

“I think it’s a wonderful thing to have family, friends and supporters to witness the swearing in,” Superior Judge Alan Hancock said before he swore the candidates in Thursday afternoon.

The benches were crammed with people and a crowd had formed outside the courtroom full of people eager to see the officials, new and old, take their oaths.

Several officials were sworn in Tuesday. Thursday’s event was really more of a ceremonial event.

Mattens, Dean, Brown, and Prosecuting Attorney Greg Banks took their oaths earlier in the week. They were sworn in by Sinclair.

Banks wasn’t able to attend Thursday’s ceremony. He was meeting with the Oak Harbor Police Department.

Taking the oath was the culmination of vigorous campaigns for Brown, Dean, Banks, Mattens and Riffe, but not so much for Sinclair, Bishop and Franzen. The three officials ran uncontested.

After the officials took their oath, a reception was held in the administration building.