The Secretary of State in a state is very often the guardian of free and fair elections. Although most people are familiar with the US Secretary of State, the federal official who leads the Department of State and carries out the US president’s foreign policy, they have no idea what the Secretary of State in their state does. This year, in many states, voters will be asked to choose a Secretary of State. What is their role and why are they important? Learn more about these state officials here:

How many states have Secretaries of State?

Every state with the exception of Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah has a secretary of state. In Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Massachusetts, they are called secretary of the commonwealth.

How are Secretaries of State chosen?

In 35 states[1], voters elect their state’s Secretary of State. Unfortunately, many voters don’t realize the importance of this official and so don’t pay much attention to the candidates. In other states[2], the governor appoints a secretary of state with confirmation by the state Senate. In still other states[3], the state legislature elects the secretary of state. In virtually every state, regardless of how the official is chosen, the secretary of state serves a four-year term.

What is the role of a Secretary of State at the state level?

The role of the secretary of state varies from state to state and includes many responsibilities. In most states, their most important role is the administration of elections. These officials establish Election Day procedures, enforce relevant rules, and oversee financial regulation.

Why are these officials so important?

In the 38 states[4] where the secretary of state runs elections, they are central to the conduct of free and fair elections. Their decisions impact the procedures for registering to vote, casting a ballot, and counting the votes. They have the power to either facilitate and encourage voting or suppress it. Importantly, most secretaries of state are involved in the certification of federal elections results to Congress.

What are some examples of how Secretaries of State were decisive in elections?

In the 2000 election, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris purged nearly 200,000 voters from the roll as a result of hiring a firm that misidentified voters as “felons,” disenfranchising them because of this mistake.[1*] She also presided over the chaotic recount of Florida votes and attempted to certify the election quickly for George W. Bush, a process that the Florida Supreme Court halted by ordering a manual recount. Ultimately the case was taken up by the US Supreme Court whose Bush v. Gore 5-4 decision stopped the Florida Supreme Court-ordered manual recount, effectively awarding Florida’s 25 electoral college votes to George W. Bush, resulting in his election. In the 2020 election, Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger refused to bow to pressure from then-President Donald Trump who pushed him to somehow find sufficient Trump votes to switch the outcome of the Georgia election from then-Vice President Joseph Biden.

What are we watching now in elections for Secretaries of State[5] and what can voters do?

Currently there are candidates running for secretary of their states who deny the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, supporting such schemes as alternative slates of electors, multiple recounts, and casting doubt about the integrity of election machines and elections in their states. Some have even threatened to reopen the ballots from the 2020 elections to once again recount the votes. At a time when state laws are being enacted that selectively suppress the vote and federal court decisions are upholding such laws and eroding the protections of the Voting Rights Act, it is important for voters to educate themselves about the candidates and issues at play before they cast their vote for their state’s secretary of state and to understand the pivotal role secretaries of states play in ensuring free and fair elections.