Secretary of State of Washington
Encyclopedia
The Secretary of State of Washington is one of the elected constitutional officers of the U.S. state
of Washington. The duties of the office are specified in Article III, Section 17 of the Washington State Constitution
and Chapter 43.07 of the Revised Code of Washington
. The Secretary of State is second (behind the Lieutenant Governor) in the line of succession to the Office of the Governor. There have been 14 Secretaries of State since Washington became a state.
The current Secretary of State, Sam Reed
, is serving his third term. Reed was first elected as Washington's Secretary of State in 2000. Reed supported an initiative approved by Washington voters in 2004 that created a "Top 2 Primary" in which voters can choose any candidate on the primary ballot, regardless of political party. After political parties filed a lawsuit against the new primary system, Reed and State Attorney General Rob McKenna took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the Top 2 system in March 2008. In 2004, he launched the nation's first state government digital archives to rescue disappearing electronic history. Following Washington's controversial gubernatorial race in 2004 (the closest such contest in U.S. history), Secretary Reed successfully pushed for several improvements to the state's voting process.
Prior to his service as Secretary of State, Reed was elected Thurston County Auditor five times and served as Washington's Assistant Secretary of State under Lud Kramer and Bruce Chapman. Secretary Reed is past president of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). He also served as an advisor to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission from 2005 to 2007. Secretary Reed is currently a member of the Olympia Kiwanis Club and sits on the Washington State Historical Society Board of Trustees, TVW's Board of Directors, the YMCA Youth and Government Board, and the State Capitol Committee. Secretary Reed, whose family lived in Washington in territorial days, grew up in Wenatchee. His family later moved to Spokane where Reed graduated from Lewis and Clark High School. He attended Washington State University where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Social Studies and Master's Degree in Political Science.
Secretary of State Sam Reed and his wife Margie make their home in Olympia. They have two adult children, David and Kristen, and two grandchildren.
.
, and is responsible for regulating its use, affixing it to commissions, pardons, and other documents to which the signature of the Governor is required, and filing and attesting to official acts of the Legislature and Governor.
The Secretary also administers election
s, voter registration
s, and ballot initiatives. These responsibilities include supervising state and local elections, and certifying the results of state primaries and general elections; filing and verifying initiatives and referenda; and producing and distributing the State Voters' Pamphlet and election-notice legal advertising. Lobbying
and campaign finance
matters are regulated by the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission.
s, limited liability partnership
s, corporation
s, and limited liability companies
. This division is also responsible for registration of domestic partnerships
. He is not, however, responsible for Uniform Commercial Code
matters, as these are administered by the Washington Department of Licensing. The Secretary is one of the officials in charge of promoting international trade
in the State of Washington.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. The duties of the office are specified in Article III, Section 17 of the Washington State Constitution
Washington State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Washington is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Washington...
and Chapter 43.07 of the Revised Code of Washington
Revised Code of Washington
The Revised Code of Washington is the compilation of all permanent laws currently in force in the U.S. state of Washington. Temporary laws such as appropriations acts are excluded....
. The Secretary of State is second (behind the Lieutenant Governor) in the line of succession to the Office of the Governor. There have been 14 Secretaries of State since Washington became a state.
The current Secretary of State, Sam Reed
Sam Reed
Sam Reed is the Secretary of State of Washington and a Republican. Reed is Washington's fourteenth Secretary of State.Reed received his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from Washington State University...
, is serving his third term. Reed was first elected as Washington's Secretary of State in 2000. Reed supported an initiative approved by Washington voters in 2004 that created a "Top 2 Primary" in which voters can choose any candidate on the primary ballot, regardless of political party. After political parties filed a lawsuit against the new primary system, Reed and State Attorney General Rob McKenna took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the Top 2 system in March 2008. In 2004, he launched the nation's first state government digital archives to rescue disappearing electronic history. Following Washington's controversial gubernatorial race in 2004 (the closest such contest in U.S. history), Secretary Reed successfully pushed for several improvements to the state's voting process.
Prior to his service as Secretary of State, Reed was elected Thurston County Auditor five times and served as Washington's Assistant Secretary of State under Lud Kramer and Bruce Chapman. Secretary Reed is past president of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). He also served as an advisor to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission from 2005 to 2007. Secretary Reed is currently a member of the Olympia Kiwanis Club and sits on the Washington State Historical Society Board of Trustees, TVW's Board of Directors, the YMCA Youth and Government Board, and the State Capitol Committee. Secretary Reed, whose family lived in Washington in territorial days, grew up in Wenatchee. His family later moved to Spokane where Reed graduated from Lewis and Clark High School. He attended Washington State University where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Social Studies and Master's Degree in Political Science.
Secretary of State Sam Reed and his wife Margie make their home in Olympia. They have two adult children, David and Kristen, and two grandchildren.
Duties
Washington's Secretary of State has a broader range of duties than many other State Secretaries of StateSecretary of State (U.S. state government)
Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...
.
Political/Executive
The Secretary of State is the keeper of the Seal of WashingtonSeal of Washington
The Seal of the State of Washington contains a portrait of George Washington, as painted by Gilbert Stuart. The outer ring contains the text "The Seal of the State of Washington" and "1889", the year Washington state was admitted to the Union...
, and is responsible for regulating its use, affixing it to commissions, pardons, and other documents to which the signature of the Governor is required, and filing and attesting to official acts of the Legislature and Governor.
The Secretary also administers election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s, voter registration
Voter registration
Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
s, and ballot initiatives. These responsibilities include supervising state and local elections, and certifying the results of state primaries and general elections; filing and verifying initiatives and referenda; and producing and distributing the State Voters' Pamphlet and election-notice legal advertising. Lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
and campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
matters are regulated by the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission.
Economic
The Corporations Division of the Office of the Secretary of State is responsible for registering limited partnershipLimited partnership
A limited partnership is a form of partnership similar to a general partnership, except that in addition to one or more general partners , there are one or more limited partners . It is a partnership in which only one partner is required to be a general partner.The GPs are, in all major respects,...
s, limited liability partnership
Limited liability partnership
A limited liability partnership is a partnership in which some or all partners have limited liability. It therefore exhibits elements of partnerships and corporations. In an LLP one partner is not responsible or liable for another partner's misconduct or negligence. This is an important...
s, corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s, and limited liability companies
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
. This division is also responsible for registration of domestic partnerships
Domestic partnership in Washington
State Registered Domestic Partnerships in Washington were created in the aftermath of the Andersen v. King County decision. Subsequent legislation has made a SRDP the equivalent of marriage under state law.-Beginnings:...
. He is not, however, responsible for Uniform Commercial Code
Uniform Commercial Code
The Uniform Commercial Code , first published in 1952, is one of a number of uniform acts that have been promulgated in conjunction with efforts to harmonize the law of sales and other commercial transactions in all 50 states within the United States of America.The goal of harmonizing state law is...
matters, as these are administered by the Washington Department of Licensing. The Secretary is one of the officials in charge of promoting international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
in the State of Washington.
Other
- The Secretary administers the state's Address Confidentiality ProgramAddress Confidentiality ProgramAn address confidentiality program allows victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or other types of crime to receive mail at a confidential address, while keeping their actual address undisclosed...
, which protects the privacy of victims of domestic violenceDomestic violenceDomestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, sexual assaultSexual assaultSexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
, human traffickingHuman traffickingHuman trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
and stalkingStalkingStalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
. - As the primary record keeper of the State of Washington, the Secretary is also in charge of the State Library, State Archives, and various other historical & genealogicalGenealogyGenealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
records and making those records available for research. The Secretary also coordinates implementation of the state's records management laws. - The Secretary also regulates charitiesCharitable organizationA charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
and charitable trustCharitable trustA charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
s, including registering individuals, organizations and commercial fundraisers involved in charitable solicitations. - The Secretary is the Chairman of the Washington State Productivity Board, which seeks to improve government efficiency and customer service, and eliminate waste.
- The Secretary is an ex officio non-voting member of the committees for the Washington State Medals of Valor and Merit.
- The Secretary is responsible for regulating the use of the Washington State FlagFlag of WashingtonThe flag of the state of Washington consists of the state seal on a field of dark green with gold fringe being optional. It is the only U.S. state flag with a field of green as well as the only state flag with the image of an American president.-History:The design was adopted in 1923, prior to...
.