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Delaware Secretary of State
| Delaware Secretary of State | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves at the pleasure of the governor |
| Authority: | Delaware Constitution, Article III, Section 10 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by governor |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | Jeffrey W. Bullock |
| Officeholder Party: | Democratic |
| Assumed office: | January 21, 2009 |
| Compensation: | $120,755 |
| Other Delaware Executive Offices | |
| Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Secretary of State•Attorney General•Treasurer•Auditor•Secretary of Education•Agriculture Secretary•Insurance Commissioner•Natural Resources Secretary•Labor Secretary•Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
The secretary's responsibilities involve registry of businesses and corporations, monitoring banks, and other commercial activities. Unlike many other state secretaries of state, the Delaware Secretary of State is not in charge of administering elections in Delaware. The Delaware Department of Elections is a separate agency from the Department of State.
Current officeholder
The current secretary is Jeffrey W. Bullock, a Democrat. Bullock was first appointed on January 21, 2009 by incoming Governor Jack Markell.
Before becoming secretary, Bullock was chief administrative officer of New Castle County, DE, from 2001-2009. From 1994-2001, he was chief of staff to former Governor Thomas R. Carper. Bullock holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Delaware. He and his wife, Susan Frank, have two daughters.
Authority
The office of secretary of state is established by the Delaware Constitution in Article III, Section 10.
Delaware Constitution, Article III, Section 10
| The Governor shall appoint, by and with the consent of a majority of all the members elected to the Senate, a Secretary of State, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor. |
Qualifications
There are no specific qualifications for this office.
Appointments
Delaware is one of nine states where the secretary of state is appointed by the governor. In Delaware, appointments to the office must be confirmed by a majority vote of the state Senate, and appointees serve at the pleasure of the governor. The process of appointment is detailed in Article III, Section 10 of the state constitution.
Term limits
There are no term limits associated with the office.
Vacancies
Per Article III, Section 9 of the state constitution, the governor fills vacancies in the office of secretary of state in the same manners as normal appointments; he chooses a new officeholder who must then receive the approval of the Delaware Senate. If a vacancy occurs while the Senate is in recess, he may appoint an acting secretary by commission until it reconvenes.
Duties
Unlike most state secretaries of state, Delaware's does not oversee the state's election process. Instead, the secretary's office is mostly concerned with preserving the state's cultural heritage, regulating Delaware businesses to promote "public health, safety, and welfare," and several other miscellaneous duties. The secretary of state's website summarizes its mission as follows:
- Promote Delaware's economy and generate state revenue
- Manage and facilitate citizen access to governmental, educational and recreational information
- Preserve and promote Delaware history, art and culture
- Assist and provide direct services to Delaware veterans and their families
- Promote equal opportunity and protection for all persons
- Provide regulatory, licensing, investigate and consumer services to protect the public's health, safety and economic welfare; and
- Administer the state's public and merit employment relations laws and government ethics laws.[1]
Divisions
- Office of the Secretary
- Archives
- Arts
- Bank Commissioner
- Board of Pardons
- Corporations
- Delaware Heritage Commission
- Government Information Center
- Historical & Cultural Affairs
- Human Relations
- International Trade and Development
- Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture
- Libraries
- Merit Employee Relations Board
- Libraries
- Merit Employee Relations Board
- Professional Regulation
- Public Advocate
- Public Employee Relations Board
- Public Integrity Commission
- Public Service Commission
- Veterans Affairs
- Veterans Home
- Commission for Women
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2012
In 2012, the secretary of state was paid an estimated $126,327. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
2010
In 2010, the secretary received compensation in the amount of $120,755.[2] The secretary's compensation is determined by law.
Contact Information
Capitol Address:
Delaware Secretary of State
401 Federal St., Suite 3
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 739-4111
Fax: (302) 739-3811
See also
- Secretary of State Jeffrey W. Bullock
- Governor of Delaware
- Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
- Attorney General of Delaware
- Delaware Constitution
External links
References
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