Duties Secretary of state (U.S. state government)

1 duties

1.1 duties in states
1.2 less common duties
1.3 unique responsibilities

duties

the actual duties of secretary of state vary state state. in states, secretary of state s office creation of original draft of state constitution. however, in many cases responsibilities have been added statute or executive order.

duties in states

the common, , arguably important, function held secretaries of state serve state s chief elections official (although many states have supervisors of elections, county elected officials). in 38 states, ultimate responsibility conduct of elections, including enforcement of qualifying rules, oversight of finance regulation , establishment of election day procedures falls on secretary of state. exceptions alaska, delaware, hawaii, illinois, maryland, new york, north carolina, oklahoma, south carolina, utah, virginia , wisconsin.

florida 1 of many states true, , reason florida secretary of state katherine harris became 1 of few state secretaries of state become known during florida election recount.

in vast majority of states, secretary of state responsible administration of uniform commercial code, act provides uniform application of business contracts , practices across united states, including registration of liens on personal property. hand in hand duty, in states secretary of state responsible state trademark registration , chartering businesses (usually including partnerships , corporations) wish operate within state. accordingly, in states, secretary of state maintains records on business activities within state. , in states, secretary of state has actual wide-ranging regulatory authority on businesses well.

in addition business record, secretary of state s office primary repository of official records in perhaps majority of states. includes in states official copies of state documents including actual official copy of state constitution (and in delaware, state-owned copy of united states bill of rights) formal copies of legislative acts enacted law, executive orders issued governor, , regulations , interpretations of statutes issued state regulatory agencies. in @ least half-dozen states, record keeping authority extends civil acts, such marriages, birth certificates, , adoption , divorce decrees. many states require secretary of state s office maintain records of land transactions , ownership.

in @ least 35 states, secretary of state responsible administration of notaries public. , states designate (almost in state constitution itself) secretary of state shall keeper of great seal of state. ostensibly requires secretary make decisions state seal shall affixed, whether onto legislation, state contracts, or other official documents.

those states have address confidentiality programs place secretary of state in charge of administering them.

less common duties

about dozen states give secretary of state task of issuing professional licenses. includes doctors, plumbers, cosmeticians, general contractors, and, in @ least 2 states, ministers (to perform marriages). in nevada, pennsylvania, , west virginia, secretary of state must clear wishes act sports agent professional athlete.

in several states (including indiana, mississippi, massachusetts, , wyoming), secretary of state responsible oversight of securities industry.

in illinois, maine, , michigan, secretary of state in charge of issuance of driver s licenses, motor vehicle registrations, , collecting motor vehicle taxes. in many other states, these duties fall under organization such departments of motor vehicles, transportation, or state police.

in several states secretary of state in charge of monitoring activities of lobbyists. while might regard natural extension of role chief elections officer, secretary of commonwealth of virginia, not in charge of elections in state, nonetheless responsible regulating lobbying.

in 5 states, secretary of state official in charge of official state museum. in of these states, , states without official museums, secretary of state designated official responsibility maintenance of state s historical records.

a few states put secretary of state in charge of use of public property. in cases, means public buildings (usually state capitol building), in mississippi includes lands legally defined belonging state, such tidelands.

several states grant technical statutory authority secretary of state in realm of pardons , commutations. in cases, nothing more responsibility affix state seal upon governor s proclamation. however, in delaware , nebraska, secretary of state sits on board of pardons governor, , secretary of state commands equal authority governor in pardoning decisions issued.

since 1980s, many states have increased efforts develop direct commercial relations foreign nations. in several of these states, state s secretary of state has been given primary responsibility in area. despite this, there should no confusion of duties of particular state s secretary of state , of united states secretary of state. prohibition of united states constitution against individual states having diplomatic relations foreign states absolute; these evolved duties of purely commercial nature.

in maine , california, in event of electoral ties, secretary of state determines winner drawing lots. in california, not extend primary elections, or elections of governor or lieutenant governor. in maine, duty applies primary elections.

unique responsibilities

several states have given secretary of state @ least 1 responsibility shared no other state s secretary:

in delaware, secretary of state official responsible handling delaware commission of veterans affairs.
in indiana, secretary of state responsible regulation of auto dealerships.
in new jersey, secretary of state in charge of enhancing , building awareness of ethnic diversity. other duties include promoting volunteerism , literacy.
in new york, secretary of state charged oversight of state s thousands of cemeteries. secretary responsible coastal issues arising under federal coastal zone management act.
in north dakota, in event of tie in election state legislature, secretary of state tosses coin determine winner.
in oregon, secretary of state chief auditor of public accounts.
in south carolina, secretary of state in charge of cable television franchises.
in south dakota, secretary of state authority issuance of concealed weapon permits.
in puerto rico, statute, secretary of state chairs governor s advisory council on executive branch reorganization , modernization, drafts reorganization plans governor submits legislature approval.




^ state election agencies . ballotpedia. retrieved 6 august 2016. 
^ delaware secretary of state
^ http://www.sos.state.ms.us/publiclands/tidelands/
^ http://www.state.de.us/sos/pardhome.shtml
^ http://www.pardons.state.ne.us/faq.html
^ art 1 sec 10(3): no state shall, without consent of congress,...enter agreement or compact...with foreign power
^ california elections code 15651
^ maine statute
^ delaware commission of veterans affairs
^ indiana dealer division
^ new jersey department of state
^ new york division of cemeteries
^ fifty-sixth biennial report (2003-2005) of north dakota secretary of state
^ [1]
^ south carolina cable franchise authority
^ south dakota secretary of state, concealed pistol permits