Maryland Secretary of State

Maryland Secretary of State
Post	Secretary of State
Body	State of Maryland
Incumbent	[Name withheld]
Incumbentsince	[Date withheld]
Department	[Executive branch]
Style	The Honorable
Appointer	Governor of Maryland
Formation	1838
Inaugural	[First holder]

Contents

Overview
History
Duties and Powers
Office Structure and Administration
Appointment and Term
Notable Secretaries
See also

Maryland Secretary of State The Maryland Secretary of State is a constitutional office in Annapolis, Maryland responsible for a range of executive functions including administration of state protocol, recordkeeping, and notarial oversight. The office interacts with the Maryland General Assembly, Governor of Maryland, and numerous state entities such as the Maryland State Archives, Maryland Department of Transportation, and Maryland Department of Human Services. Its activities touch on matters involving Maryland Court of Appeals, Baltimore institutions, and interstate relations with neighboring jurisdictions like Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Overview

The office serves as an official repository for certain executive records and facilitates communications between the Governor of Maryland and other officials such as members of the Maryland Senate, Maryland House of Delegates, and local executives in jurisdictions including Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Maryland, and Prince George's County, Maryland. The Secretary administers duties tied to authenticating documents used with entities like the United States Department of State, foreign consulates in Baltimore, and multistate compacts involving entities such as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Eastern States regional initiatives. The office often coordinates ceremonial events with organizations including the Maryland Historical Society, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, and educational institutions such as University System of Maryland campuses.

History

The position traces roots to early 19th-century provisions that aligned with offices in other states like Massachusetts and Virginia. Historically, holders of the office engaged with events including the aftermath of the War of 1812, preservation efforts at Fort McHenry, and legislative changes influenced by political figures such as Samuel Chase and Thurgood Marshall. Throughout the 20th century, Secretaries worked on records spanning eras marked by the Civil Rights Movement, interactions with federal entities like the National Archives and Records Administration, and administrative reforms inspired by commissions such as the Hoover Commission. The office has adapted through periods involving the Great Depression, World War II coordination with the War Production Board, and later regulatory shifts linked to federal laws such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Duties and Powers

Statutory responsibilities include authentication of executive acts for use abroad with institutions like the United States Embassy in London or the Consulate General of Canada in Baltimore, administration of the state seal used with the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, and maintenance of records that inform agencies such as the Maryland State Board of Elections and the Maryland Public Service Commission. The Secretary interacts with quasi-governmental entities like the Maryland Port Administration and cultural bodies such as the Peabody Institute. Powers often involve coordinating protocol for visits from heads of state, diplomats accredited through the United States Department of State, and delegations from partners like the City of Baltimore’s sister cities program. The office can promulgate administrative guidelines affecting notaries public, in coordination with professional groups such as the Maryland State Bar Association.

Office Structure and Administration

The office comprises divisions that liaise with institutions including the Maryland State Archives, Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, and the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs. Staff often coordinate with the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, the Maryland Department of Budget and Management, and regional partners like the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Administrative functions involve collaboration with universities such as Johns Hopkins University and Towson University for research, and with cultural partners like the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. The Secretary’s office also handles proclamations related to organizations including the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Nonprofits sector.

Appointment and Term

The Secretary is appointed by the Governor of Maryland and typically confirmed through executive procedures that may involve interaction with the Maryland General Assembly and advisory input from bodies like the Governor's Cabinet. Terms have varied historically with gubernatorial administrations such as those of William Donald Schaefer, Parris Glendening, Martin O'Malley, and Larry Hogan, reflecting changes during transitions involving figures like Spiro Agnew and Harry Hughes. Vacancies have been filled through appointments that sometimes required coordination with the Maryland Senate or acting arrangements tied to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland.

Notable Secretaries

Notable officeholders have included individuals who interacted with national figures such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Barack Obama through ceremonial or administrative functions. Secretaries have worked on preservation and protocol with leaders from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, engaged with civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., and coordinated archival projects involving scholars connected to Harvard University and Yale University. Other notable collaborations involved agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and cultural initiatives with the Smithsonian Institution.