Oklahoma Secretary of State
| Oklahoma Secretary of State | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $140,000 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $10,950,014 |
| Term limits: | concurrently with the term of the governor |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Article VI, Section 6 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by Governor |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Oklahoma Secretary of State
Josh Cockroft | |
| Other Oklahoma Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Oklahoma Secretary of State is an appointed position in the Oklahoma state government. The secretary of state is the chief clerical officer for the state of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current Oklahoma Secretary of State is Josh Cockroft (R). Cockroft assumed office in 2023.
Authority
The office of the Oklahoma Secretary of State is established in Article VI, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution.
Article VI, Section 1:
| A. The Executive authority of the state shall be vested in a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Labor, Commissioner of Insurance and other officers provided by law and this Constitution, each of whom shall keep his office and public records, books and papers at the seat of government, and shall perform such duties as may be designated in this Constitution or prescribed by law.
B. The Secretary of State shall be appointed by the Governor by and with the consent of the Senate for a term of four (4) years to run concurrently with the term of the Governor.[1] |
Qualifications
The secretary of state must be:
- a citizen of the United States.
- at least 31 years old.
- a qualified elector of Oklahoma for the 10 preceding years.
Article VI, Section 3 of the Oklahoma Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
| No person shall be eligible to the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer or Superintendent of Public Instruction except a citizen of the United States of the age of not less than thirty-one (31) years and who shall have been ten (10) years next preceding his or her election, or appointment, a qualified elector of this state.[2] |
Appointments
In Oklahoma, the secretary of state is a position that is filled via appointment by the governor with the consent of the state Senate. According to Article 6, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution, the secretary serves a term of four years in length concurrent with that of the governor.
Vacancies
Under Article 6, Section 13 of the state Constitution, in the event of a vacancy in the office the governor appoints a person to serve until a successor is appointed and qualified by law.[3]
Duties
The secretary of state has a number of duties and responsibilities in several distinct areas:[4]
- Executive functions: The secretary attests to the governor's signature, files all official gubernatorial acts, and certifies all executive orders, appointments, and proclamations.
- Court on Judiciary: The secretary designates five district judges to serve on the Appellate Division of the Court on Judiciary and eight district judges to serve on the Trial Division of the Court on Judiciary.
- Legislative Functions: The secretary maintains a record of all acts of the Oklahoma State Legislature.
- Initiative and Referendum Petitions: Statewide initiative and referendum petitions are filed in the office of secretary of state.
- Office of Administrative Rules: The office of secretary of state files state agency rules, rule making notices, and executive orders.
- Corporate Filing/Records Functions: The secretary's office maintains a database of business entities and any associated amendments, trade names, mergers, withdrawals and dissolutions.
- Notaries Public: The secretary appoints and commissions notaries public.
- Certification: The secretary copies and/or certifies documents filed by the corporate filing office, authenticates county court clerk signatures on documents, and certifies the signatures of public officials.
- Central Filing System: The secretary's office files and publishes information that allows buyers, commission merchants, and selling agents to identify farm products that are subject to a security interest.
- Trademarks: The secretary of state files applications of trademarks and issues certificates of registration, and also issues trademark renewals, assignments, and cancellations.
- Oaths and Loyalty Oaths: The secretary of state files an oath of office and a loyalty oath for every officer of a state agency, board, commission, court, institution, and member of the state legislature.
- Public Meeting Notices: All state agencies, boards, commissions and public trusts must file notices of their meetings with the secretary's office.
- Athlete Agent Registration: The office files registration paperwork for all athlete agents.
- Summons: The secretary acts as a registered agent for all business entities, unless an additional agent has been appointed, and for any domestic corporation whose agent has resigned.
- Transmitting Utility and Railroad Mortgages: The office files every mortgage, deed of trust, and supplementary instruments of all utility corporations and companies.
- Invention Developer Bonds: The office maintains copies of inventor's surety bonds after they have been approved by the attorney general.
- Surface Damage Bonds: Every mineral owner or lessee who drills or prepares to drill for oil or gas is required to file a corporate surety bond, letter of credit from a bank, cash, or a CD. The secretary of state files and records each of these bonds.
- Other Duties: "Required by the Office of the Secretary of State are to file and/or certify policy statements of each public institution of higher education. Personality rights as successor-in-interest, public trust indentures and amendments thereto, preliminary and final official statements, facsimile signatures, bonds of public officials and employees are also filed in this office."
Divisions
- Administration
- International Relations & Services
- Native American Affairs
- Executive Legislative
- Busniess Filing
- Central Filing for Agriculture Liens
- Notary
- Office of Administrative Rules
- Information Technology[5]
State budget
- See also: Oklahoma state budget and finances
The budget for the Secretary of State's office in Fiscal Year 2024 was $10,950,014.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
See statutes: Title 74, Chapter 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes
Title 74, Chapter 10 (§74‑10.5) of the Oklahoma Statutes sets the maximum base salary for the secretary of state. The section provides for the secretary of state's salary to be increased—to an amount not exceeding the highest paid secretary in the governor's cabinet—in the event the secretary of state is designated as a cabinet secretary in addition to the role of secretary of state.[7] The amount of compensation is prescribed by law, pursuant to Article VI, Section 34 of the Oklahoma Constitution:
| Each of the officers in this article named shall, at stated times, during his continuance in office, receive for his services a compensation, which shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which he shall have been elected; nor shall he receive to his use, any fees, cost, or perquisites of office or other compensation.[8] |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2021
In 2021, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2020
In 2020, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2019
In 2019, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2018
In 2018, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2017
In 2017, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2016
In 2016, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2015
In 2015, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2014
In 2014, the secretary of state received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2013
In 2013, the secretary of state received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
2010
In 2010, the secretary of state received a salary of $94,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[20]
Historical officeholders
| Secretary[21] | Start of term |
|---|---|
| Bill Cross (D) | November 16, 1907 |
| Thomas Smith (D) | Appointed August 6, 1910 |
| B. F. Harrison (D) | January 9, 1911 |
| H. G. Oliver (D) | Appointed January 2, 1915 |
| S. L. Lyon (D) | January 11, 1915 |
| Joe Morris (D) | January 13, 1919 |
| R. A. Sneed (D) | January 8, 1923 |
| Graves Leeper (D) | January 10, 1927 |
| R. A. Sneed (D) | January 6, 1931 |
| Frank C. Carter (D) | January 15, 1935 |
| C. C. Childers (D) | January 9, 1939 |
| Frank C. Carter (D) | January 11, 1943 |
| Katherine Manton (D) | Appointed November 8, 1946 |
| Wilburn Cartwright (D) | January 13, 1947 |
| John D. Conner (D) | January 8, 1951 |
| Andy Anderson (D) | January 10, 1955 |
| John D. Conner (D) | January 12, 1959 |
| Wm. N. Christian (D) | Appointed August 31, 1959 |
| James M. Bullard (D) | January 14, 1963 |
| John Rogers (D) | January 9, 1967 |
| John Rogers (D) | January 11, 1971 |
| John Rogers (D) | January 13, 1975 |
| Jerome Byrd (D) | Appointed July 1, 1975 |
| Jeannette B.Edmondson (D) | February 1, 1979 |
| Jeannette B.Edmondson (D) | January 10, 1983 |
| Hannah D. Atkins (D) | January 12, 1987 |
| John Kennedy (D) | January 14, 1991 |
| Glo Henley (D) | Appointed February 2, 1994 |
| Tom J. Cole (R) | January 9, 1995 |
| Mike Hunter (R) | Appointed March 16, 1999 |
| Kay Dudley (R) | Appointed October 16, 2002 |
| M. Susan Savage (D) | January 16, 2003 |
| Glenn Coffee (R) | January 10, 2011 |
| Michelle Day (R) | Appointed February 1, 2013 |
| Larry Parman (R) | Appointed March 1, 2013 |
| Chris Benge (R) | November 8, 2013 |
| Mike Hunter (R) | October 11, 2016 |
| Dave Lopez | March 27, 2017 |
| James Williamson | June 1, 2018 |
| Michael Rogers (R) | January 14, 2019 |
| Brian Bingman (R) | October 13, 2020 |
Recent news
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Contact information
Business & Public Filings, Agricultural Liens, Open Meetings, Administrative Rules:[22]
Colcord Center
421 NW 13th St,
Suite 210/220
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Executive Office, Executive Legislative, International Protocol Division:
Oklahoma Secretary of State
Attn: Executive Legislative Division
Oklahoma State Capitol Bldg., Room 122
2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
See also
| Oklahoma | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Constitution, Section Article 6 section 1 - Executive officers enumerated - Offices and records - Duties," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Constitution, Section Article 6 section 3 - Eligibility to certain state offices," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Constitution, Section Article 6 section 13 - Officers' commissions - Vacancies," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma Secretary of State, "About the Office of the Oklahoma Secretary of State," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma Senate, "Secretary of State - 62500," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma.gov, "FY 2025 Executive Budget," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Statutes, §74-10.5," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma State Court Networks, "Oklahoma Constitution, Section Article 6 section 34 - Compensation of officers," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ ISSUU, "The Book of the States | 2020 | Volume 52," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 4, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 28, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed May 14, 2011
- ↑ Oklahoma Secretary of State, "Secretaries of State since statehood," accessed January 19,2021
- ↑ Oklahoma Secretary of State, "Contact," accessed January 19, 2021
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