Secretary 2022

Secretary 2022

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In 47 states—all except Alaska , Hawaii , and Utah —the secretary of state is among the top executive offices. Although the duties and powers of the secretary of state vary from state to state, a common responsibility is management and oversight of elections and voter rolls, which are assigned to the secretary of state in 41 states. Other common responsibilities include registration of businesses, maintenance of state records, and certification of official documents.

A state government triplex describes when one political party holds the following three positions in a state's government: governor, attorney general, and secretary of state.

Six states impose some form of term limits on the office of the secretary of state.

The chart below is a breakdown of the political parties of current secretaries of state. For other state executive offices, click here.

Ballotpedia is highlighting news and conflicts in battleground primary elections for secretary of state and other offices in The Heart of the Primaries newsletter. Click the image to subscribe to the newsletter.

You can also find stories specific to secretary of state primary elections on the following pages:

There are 14 Republican-held secretary of state offices and 13 Democratic-held secretary of state offices on the ballot in 2022. The table below shows which states are holding secretary of state elections in 2022.

In 2018, the last midterm election year, 27 secretary of state offices were on the ballot, 26 of which are on the 2022 ballot. [2] Democrats gained control of three offices from Republicans.

A state government triplex is a term to describe when one political party holds the following three positions in a state's government: governor , attorney general , and secretary of state . [3] In states where the attorney general or secretary of state are appointed by the governor, Ballotpedia considers the office to be held by the governor's party for the purposes of defining triplexes. [4]

Incumbent Brad Raffensperger defeated three other candidates in the Republican primary election for Georgia secretary of state on May 24, 2022. The two candidates who led in polling were Raffensperger and Jody Hice . Based on unofficial returns, Raffensperger received 52.1% of the vote, and Hice received 33.7% of the vote.

Former President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Hice on March 22, 2021. [5] Trump said, "Unlike the current Georgia Secretary of State, Jody leads out front with integrity. I have 100% confidence in Jody to fight for Free, Fair, and Secure Elections in Georgia, in line with our beloved U.S. Constitution. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections!" [6] Joseph Ax of Reuters wrote that Raffensperger "has been one of Trump's most frequent targets ever since he refused, emphatically and publicly, to capitulate to the demands of the former president, his fellow Republican, to 'find' enough votes to overturn the results in Georgia's 2020 presidential vote." [7]

Raffensperger was elected as secretary of state in 2018. Raffensperger disputed Trump's claims about election fraud in 2020 and directly criticized Hice over those claims. During a January 2022 appearance on CBS' Face The Nation , Raffensperger said, "Congressman Hice, he’s been in Congress for several years. He’s never done a single piece of election reform legislation. Then he certified his own race with those same machines, the same ballots, and yet for President Trump, he said you couldn’t trust that." [8] Raffensperger's website highlighted a #1 ranking in election integrity from the Heritage Foundation as proof of his leadership and conservative values. [9]

Hice was elected to the U.S. House in 2014. Hice has supported Trump's election fraud claims. At a May 2022 debate, Hice said, "The 'big lie' in all of this is that there were no problems with this past election. This past election was an absolute disaster under the leadership of Brad Raffensperger." [7] Hice objected to the counting of Georgia's electoral votes during the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021 . [5] Hice said he would "aggressively pursue voter fraud" and would seek to make final election results available on election night. [10]

The secretary of state is responsible for a wide range of services and regulatory duties, in addition to being the keeper of the Great Seal of Georgia and the custodian of the state flag and other state symbols. The secretary of state also chairs the Claims Advisory Board, which receives, investigates, and hears civil claims against the state. Responsibilities of the secretary's office include supervising and monitoring elections and providing campaign finance disclosure, managing and preserving public records, and licensing, monitoring, and registering professionals and businesses.

Also running in the primary were Torri M. Hudson and David Belle Isle .

Incumbent William Galvin defeated Tanisha Sullivan in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts secretary of state on September 6, 2022. Galvin was first elected secretary of state in 1994 and won re-election in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 , 2014 , and 2018 . Galvin will face Rayla Campbell —who was unopposed in the Republican primary —in the general election for secretary of state on November 8, 2022.

Prior to being elected secretary of state, Galvin worked at a car dealership, as an aide on the Massachusetts Governor’s Council, and served as a state Representative. [11] He had faced Democratic primary opposition in two previous re-election campaigns—defeating John Bonifaz, 83% to 17%, in 2006 and Josh Zakim , 67% to 33%, in 2018 . [12] Matt Stout of the Boston Globe wrote in April 2022 that Galvin was "the only incumbent Democratic secretary of state being targeted within his own party." [13]

Galvin had said his experience was important given the increased focus on elections, saying to the Boston Globe , “This is a critical time for democracy. That’s why I think I can provide a unique service. Probably the biggest shift is the national climate, the importance of elections. I believe I can continue to do it effectively. I don’t believe anyone else can [do it as well] at this point.” [14]

Sullivan's professional experience included serving as the Chief Equity Office for Boston Public Schools, president of the Boston Branch of the NAACP , a corporate counsel for Sanofi Genzyme, and a fellow for CEO Action for Racial Equity. Before the primary, she said she would do more to promote voting among minority communities, saying at the state party convention, "Despite record voter turnout in 2020, hear me on this, voters from some of our most vulnerable communities still saw the lowest voter turnout across Massachusetts, leaving behind far too many voices...Simply put, Massachusetts needs a secretary of state who fights on the ground with us every day, fighting for the democracy we deserve." [15]

In June 2022, Sullivan received the Democratic Party's official endorsement with the support of 62.4% of delegates at the state convention. According to Colin A. Young of the State House News Service , Sullivan "was supported by more than 2,500 delegates while Galvin was backed by about 1,500 delegates." [15] After the convention, Young wrote that "Galvin has lost at the party convention but then prevailed in the party primary three times previously: in 1990 when he ran for treasurer; in 1994 when he first ran for secretary of state; and in 2018 when the upstart campaign of Josh Zakim won the party's endorsement before being crushed by Galvin when the contest extended beyond the most hardcore party insiders." [15]

Prior to the 2022 elections, the last Republican that served as secretary of state in Massachusetts was Frederick Cook, who left office in 1949. [16]

The secretary of state is a state-level position in 47 of the 50 states. The position does not exist in Alaska , Hawaii and Utah . Voters directly elect the secretary of state in 35 states. In the other 12, the secretary is appointed by either the governor or the state legislature. Although the duties and powers of the secretary of state vary from state to state, a common responsibility is management and oversight of elections and voter rolls, which are assigned to the secretary of state in 41 states. Other common responsibilities include registration of businesses, maintenance of state records, and certification of official documents.

There are 27 secretary of state seats on the ballot in 2022. There are 13 Republican-held secretary of state offices, 13 Democratic-held secretary of state offices, and one independent office on the ballot in 2022.

In 1977, the Democratic Party held a total of 25 elected secretary of state offices to the Republican Party 's 10. The Democratic lead in secretary of state offices narrowed somewhat throughout the 1980s, but once again reached a 25-10 majority of elected offices in 1989 and 1990. Following the 1994 midterm elections, the Republican Party gained an 18-17 majority of elected secretary of state offices. The Democrats would regain their lead following the 2008 presidential election but lose it once again in the 2010 midterm elections. The gap between the parties widened following the 2016 elections, which increased the Republican majority of elected secretary of state offices from 21-14 to 24-11.

The table below lists important dates throughout the 2022 election cycle, including filing deadlines and primary dates.

The table below lists changes made to election dates and deadlines in the 2022 election cycle. Items are listed in reverse chronological order by date of change, with the most recent change appearing first.

The secretary of state is a state-level position in 47 of the 50 states. The position does not exist in Alaska , Hawaii and Utah . In Massachusetts , Pennsylvania and Virginia , the office is called the secretary of the commonwealth and differs only in name. The voters directly elect the secretary of state in 35 states. In the other 12, the secretary is appointed by either the governor or the state legislature.

The duties of the position are generally administrative in nature, and no two states have identical responsibilities delegated to the secretary of state. Many are tasked with keeping state records, from registering businesses to recording the official acts of the governor. The officeholder also often serves as the chief election official in their state, administering state elections and maintaining official election results. The commissioning and regulation of notaries public, keeping of the official state seal and certification of official documents all typically fall under the purview of the secretary of state.

Although the position of secretary of state is popularly elected in the majority of states, it is an appointed position in 12 states. Of those 12, the governor is given the power of appointment in nine, while the state Legislature appoints the secretary of state in the remaining three.

According to compensation figures for 2017 compiled by the Council of State Governments in the Book of the States , the highest salary for a secretary of state is $195,972 in Tennessee , while the lowest is $68,500 in Colorado . To view the compensation of a specific secretary of state, hover your mouse cursor over the state. [19]

In 37 states, the secretary of state is the chief elections officer with ultimate oversight over state elections and voter registration. [20]

In 23 states, the secretary of state is responsible for receiving and certifying ballot measure petitions. [20]

In 36 states, the secretary of state is responsible for determining which parties qualify for major-party ballot access. [20]

16 states impose some form of term limits on the office of secretary of state.

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State executive elections by position and year:

Counts current as of September 2022. If you see an error, please email us.

1/28/2022 2/11/2022 (congressional)
5/31/2022 6/7/2022 (Congress and statewide office)
6/28/2022; 8/23/2022 (congressional and state senate only)
4/7/2022; 6/10/2022 (congressional and state senate only)
7/5/2022 (if no federal office is involved); 7/26/2022 (if a federal office is involved)
5/3/2022 (Congress and statewide offices) 8/2/2022 (state legislative offices)
2/2/2022 (U.S. House candidates: 3/4/2022)
3/15/2022 (Congress and statewide offices only) 3/28/2022 (state legislative candidates)
A federal district court, in striking down the state's congressional redistricting plan, postponed the deadline for candidates qualifying by petition in lieu of paying the filing fee from June 22, 2022, to July 8, 2022. The court's order did not affect the July 22, 2022, deadline for candidates qualifying by paying the filing fee.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) called for the state legislative primary to be held on August 2, 2022 (the primary was originally scheduled for May 3, 2022).
A federal district court judge affirmed the decision of a state-level judge to postpone the primaries for congressional and state senate offices to August 23, 2022 (the primary was originally scheduled for June 28, 2022). The state court then issued an order establishing new candidate filing deadlines.
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania fixed March 28, 2022, as the filing deadline for General Assembly candidates.
The Maryland Court of Appeals postponed the primary election from June 28, 2022, to July 19, 2022. The court also extended the filing deadline from March 22, 2022, to April 15, 2022.
Governor Charlie Baker (R) signed a bill into law that rescheduled the state's primary election from September 20, 2022, to September 6, 2022.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R), in response to a federal court order, directed that the primary for state legislative offices be held on August 2, 2022.
Governor Spencer Cox (R) signed SB170 into law, moving the candidate filing deadline to March 4, 2022. The original filing deadline was set for March 11, 2022.
The Maryland Court of Appeals extended the candidate filing deadline from February 22, 2022, to March 22, 2022.
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania suspended the candidate filing period for the primary election, pending resolution of a redistricting dispute. The original filing deadline was set for March 8, 2022. The court later fixed March 15, 2022, as the filing deadline for statewide offices and the U.S. Congress.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama postponed the filing deadline for primary congressional candidates from January 28, 2022, to February 11, 2022.
Governor Andy Beshear (D) signed HB172 into law, extending the filing deadline for partisan candidates from January 7, 2022, to January 25, 2022.
The Supreme Court of North Carolina ordered the postponement of the statewide primary, originally scheduled for March 8, 2022, to May 17, 2022. The court also suspended candidate filing, which subsequently resumed on February 24, 2022, and concluded on March 4, 2022.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections announced that candidate filing, having been suspended by the state supreme court in December 2021, would resume on February 24, 2022, and conclude on March 4, 2022.

In 2022, 28 states are holding elections that will determine who runs elections in the state.

A Primer on State Election Boards and Commissions

May 17, 2021 – Carter-Baker Panel Discussions: “Technology and Elections”

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Election administration has become increasingly a partisan issue in the wake of the 2020 election and an unprecedented lack of acceptance of results. The former president has claimed that the presidential election was “rigged” or “stolen;” as a result, more than half of Republican voters believe President Biden was illegitimately elected. In this hyper-partisan climate, competent incumbent election officials are likely to face well-financed challengers seeking to capitalize on conspiracy theories and disproven claims.
These primary challengers pose a significant risk to the integrity of our elections. If elected, partisan loyalists who echo false election conspiracy theories may be tempted to subvert elections, spread misinformation and deepen public distrust.
This problem demands a systemic solution. Our state election chiefs must be selected in a fair, unbiased process, buffered from partisanship, and given the power to conduct elections securely, safely, and effectively.
State Rep. Wes Allen made headlines for his intent to withdraw Alabama from the cross-state electronic voter registration database, ERIC, accusing the system of being “leftist” (which the current Republican Secretary of State, John Merrill, denies ). Allen has also supported false information and efforts to overturn the 2020 election on Twitter .
First elected to the Arizona House in 2014, Rep. Finchem has consistently spread disinformation about the 2020 election, including claims that the election was stolen. He is affiliated with the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group, and indicated support for the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. On May 8, 2021, Finchem appeared on a QAnon conspiracy talk show, and is scheduled to appear at a Las Vegas QAnon conference in October 2021.
Finchem was a key player in the debunked Arizona Senate GOP’s so-called “audit” of the 2020 presidential election, and continues to maintain that President Trump won Arizona despite the contrary findings of the Trump-backed election review.
In addition to appearing on the talk show of a known election outcome denier and conspiracy theorist, Morales has said he will “help take back the presidency in ’24” and that Trump had the “right politics” when alleging he won the presidency in 2020. Morales once worked for the Indiana Secretary of State’s office, but left after being twice written up for poor performance .
In June of 2022, Morales upset incumbent Secretary of State Holli Sullivan for his party’s nomination for the general election ballot.
Campbell, a podcast host and former candidate for lieutenant governor, regularly posts anti-vaccine sentiments on Facebook and, as seen above, was unwilling to accept the results of the 2020 election. During a prior campaign, Campbell was also photographed wearing clothing bearing a QAnon slogan.
–via Official Campaign Website, May 2021
A college professor and frequent guest on conservative media panels, Kar
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Secretary 2022

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