Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles announced that he would not seek re-election after he serves his current term in a statement released Wednesday. 

RELATED: Bill Cowles discusses election integrity

He's currently the county's longest running supervisor of elections, and will serve until January 6, 2025. 

"It has been the role of a lifetime to be trusted by the citizens of Orange County to conduct secure election with the highest standards of integrity. After a fulfilling 33 years (which will be 35 years at the end of the term), first as chief deputy and now supervisor, it is time to pass the torch and retire to private life and enjoy time with my wife and four grandsons," Cowles said.

Before he began his tenure as supervisor in 1996, he served in the elections office beginning in 1989. During the years, he's led the county's elections through several important milestones. In 1997, the Penny Sales Tax election was declared to be the largest mail-in ballot election to date. His office also emerged unscathed in the "hanging chad" debate during the 2000 presidential election as well. 

The release reported that the elections office has a team of staffers with over 300 years of experience combined, which will allow them to continue to handle the increasing challenge of managing secure elections in the modern era.