John Herbert Carkin was an American attorney, politician, and public service executive who played a prominent role in Oregon's state government during the early to mid-twentieth century. A member of the Republican Party, Carkin served for nine years in the Oregon House of Representatives, where he represented a district in the southern part of the state. His legislative career was highlighted by his election as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives for the 1927 legislative session, a position he achieved through a unanimous vote of his fellow House members.
Following his legislative service, Carkin transitioned into key administrative and regulatory roles within the Oregon state government. He served as the chairman of the Oregon Tax Commission and was later appointed as Oregon's Public Utility Commissioner, where he managed public services and utility regulations. In his later years, Carkin entered the banking sector, serving as the president of a savings and loan association in Salem, Oregon. He remained an active figure in Oregon's civic and financial sectors until his death in 1971.
