The secretary of state of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York who leads the Department of State (NYSDOS).Executive Law § 90. "There shall be in the state government a department of state. The head of the department shall be the secretary of state [...]"

The current secretary of state of New York is Walter T. Mosley, a Democrat.

Duties The secretary is responsible for regulating the licensure of a number of professions, including private investigators, cosmetologists, real estate brokers, appraisers, and notaries public. The secretary also regulates cemeteries, registers corporations and other business organizations, and maintains records of financing statements and tax liens under the Uniform Commercial Code. The New York State Athletic Commission is administratively housed within the Department of State and regulates combat sports such as boxing and professional wrestling occurring within the state.

The secretary's office includes the Office of Local Government Services, which provides training assistance to local governments in areas such as fire prevention, coastal management, and code enforcement.

The secretary of state is responsible for publishing local laws on their website and as a supplement to the Laws of New York.; "[...] 5. The secretary of state shall publish annually local laws on the department of state website and in a separate volume as a supplement to the session laws, and shall publish at least annually on the department of state website a complete codification of all local laws in effect that have been adopted by the legislative body of each county. The clerk, or other officer designated by the legislative body of each county, shall provide local laws to the secretary of state in a manner specified by the secretary of state to facilitate the publication requirements of this subdivision. [...] 7. The secretary of state shall have the authority to provide for the receipt and filing of local laws by electronic transmission. [...]" They are also responsible for publishing on their website a complete codification of all local laws in effect that have been adopted by the legislative body of each county.

History The office of the secretary of state of New York was established in 1778, and is one of the oldest government agencies of the state of New York.

Until 1822, the secretary of state was appointed by the Council of Appointment for an indefinite term,Article XXVIII of the State Constitution of 1777 said: "...that where, by this convention, the duration of any office shall not be ascertained, such office shall be construed to be held during the pleasure of the council of appointment." but could be substituted at any time, especially if the majority party in the council changed. Besides his other duties, the secretary of state was also the secretary of the Council of Appointment.

From 1823 to 1845, the secretary was elected by joint ballot of the New York State Legislature for a term of three years.

From 1847 on, the secretary and the other state cabinet officers were elected by the voters at the state elections in November in odd years to a two-year term, so that, until 1877, they served in the second half of the term of the governor in office and the first half of the term of the succeeding governor, since the governors at the time were elected to a two-year term in even years. From 1877 on, the governor served a three-year term, while the secretary continued to be elected for two years.

The secretary elected in 1895 received an additional year and served a three-year term, and from 1898 on, the secretary and other state officers were elected in even years to a two-year term at the same time as the governor, and they served concurrently.

In 1926, during the governorship of Al Smith, the state administration was reorganized, and the office became appointive and has remained so. The last secretary elected was Florence E. S. Knapp; the first appointed by the governor was Robert Moses.

On March 31, 2011, Part A of Chapter 62 of the Laws of 2011 merged the former New York State Consumer Protection Board into the Department of State creating a new Division of Consumer Protection.

List of secretaries of state

# ImageSecretary of StateTenure Party Notes1John Morin ScottMarch 13, 1778 – September 14, 1784 died in office2Lewis Allaire ScottOctober 23, 1784 – March 17, 1798 – son of John Morin Scott; died in office; longest-serving Secretary of State (13 years and almost 5 months)3Daniel HaleMarch 24, 1798 – August 10, 1801Federalist4Thomas TillotsonAugust 10, 1801 – March 16, 1806Democratic-Republican5Elisha JenkinsMarch 16, 1806 – February 16, 1807Democratic-Republican6Thomas TillotsonFebruary 16, 1807 – February 1, 1808Dem.-Rep./Lewisite7Elisha JenkinsFebruary 1, 1808 – February 2, 1810Dem.-Rep./Clintonian8Daniel HaleFebruary 2, 1810 – February 1, 1811Federalist9Elisha JenkinsFebruary 1, 1811 – February 23, 1813Democratic-Republican10Jacob R. Van RensselaerFebruary 23, 1813 – February 16, 1815Federalist11Peter Buell PorterFebruary 16, 1815 – February 12, 1816Democratic-Republican12Robert L. TillotsonFebruary 12, 1816 – April 16, 1817 son of Thomas Tillotson13Charles D. CooperApril 16, 1817 – April 24, 1818Democratic-Republican son-in-law of Acting Governor John Tayler14John Van Ness YatesApril 24, 1818 – February 14, 1826Democratic-Republican first appointed, in 1823 re-elected by the State Legislature15Azariah Cutting FlaggFebruary 14, 1826 – January 12, 1833Democratic-Republican three terms; then elected New York State Comptroller16John Adams DixJanuary 15, 1833 – February 4, 1839Democratic two terms17John Canfield SpencerFebruary 4, 1839 – October 11, 1841Whigresigned to become Secretary of War18Archibald Campbell (acting)October 11, 1841 – February 7, 1842(none)as Deputy Secretary, acted until the election of a successor19Samuel YoungFebruary 7, 1842 – February 8, 1845Dem./Barnburner20Nathaniel S. BentonFebruary 8, 1845 – December 31, 1847Dem./Hunker legislated out of office by State Constitution of 184621Christopher MorganJanuary 1, 1848 – December 31, 1851Whig first Secretary elected by general ballot; two terms22Henry S. RandallJanuary 1, 1852 – December 31, 1853Democratic23Elias W. LeavenworthJanuary 1, 1854 – December 31, 1855Whig24Joel T. HeadleyJanuary 1, 1856 – December 31, 1857American25Gideon J. TuckerJanuary 1, 1858 – December 31, 1859Democratic26David R. Floyd-JonesJanuary 1, 1860 – December 31, 1861Democratic27Horatio BallardJanuary 1, 1862 – December 31, 1863Union28Chauncey DepewJanuary 1, 1864 – December 31, 1865Union29Francis C. BarlowJanuary 1, 1866 – December 31, 1867Republican30Homer A. NelsonJanuary 1, 1868 – December 31, 1871Democratic two terms31G. Hilton ScribnerJanuary 1, 1872 – December 31, 1873Republican32Diedrich Willers, Jr.January 1, 1874 – December 31, 1875Democratic33John BigelowJanuary 1, 1876 – December 31, 1877Democratic34Allen C. BeachJanuary 1, 1878 – December 31, 1879Democratic35Joseph B. CarrJanuary 1, 1880 – December 31, 1885Republican three terms36Frederick CookJanuary 1, 1886 – December 31, 1889Democratic two terms37Frank RiceJanuary 1, 1890 – December 31, 1893Democratic38John PalmerJanuary 1, 1894 – December 31, 1898Republican two terms (1894–1895, 1896–98)39John T. McDonoughJanuary 1, 1899 – December 31, 1902Republican two terms40John F. O'BrienJanuary 1, 1903 – December 31, 1906Republican two terms41John S. WhalenJanuary 1, 1907 – December 31, 1908Dem./Ind. L.42 Samuel S. KoenigJanuary 1, 1909 – December 31, 1910Republican43Edward LazanskyJanuary 1, 1911 – December 31, 1912Democratic44Mitchell MayJanuary 1, 1913 – December 31, 1914Democratic45Francis HugoJanuary 1, 1915 – December 31, 1920Republican three terms46John J. LyonsJanuary 1, 1921 – December 31, 1922Republican47James A. HamiltonJanuary 1, 1923 – December 31, 1924Democratic48Florence E. S. KnappJanuary 1, 1925 – January 17, 1927Republicanfirst woman in this office; the last elected Secretary of State49Robert MosesJanuary 17, 1927 – January 1, 1929Republican first Secretary of State appointed by the Governor50Edward J. FlynnJanuary 1, 1929 – January 17, 1939Democratic51Michael F. WalshJanuary 17,Nominated on January 9 by the Governor, and confirmed on January 17 by the State Senate 1939 – January 1, 1943Democratic52Thomas J. CurranJanuary 1, 1943 – January 1, 1955Republican53Carmine DeSapioJanuary 1, 1955 – January 1, 1959Democratic54Caroline SimonJanuary 1, 1959 – August 22, 1963Republican appointed a judge of the New York Court of Claims55John P. LomenzoAugust 22, 1963 – January 1, 1974Republican56John J. GhezziJanuary 1, 1974 – January 1, 1975Republican57Mario CuomoJanuary 1, 1975 – December 31, 1978Democratic elected Lieutenant Governor58Basil A. PatersonJanuary 1, 1979 – January 1, 1983Democratic son David A. Paterson became Lieutenant Governor, and Governor. 59Gail S. ShafferJanuary 1, 1983 – January 4, 1995Democratic60Alexander TreadwellJanuary 4, 1995 – April 12, 2001Republican became Chairman of the Republican State Committee61Randy DanielsApril 12, 2001 – September 23, 2005Republican a Democrat when appointed, became a Republican in 2002; resigned–Frank Milano (acting)September 23, 2005 – April 19, 2006Republican as First Deputy Secretary, acted until the appointment of a successor62Christopher JacobsApril 19, 2006 – January 1, 2007Republican63Lorraine Cortés-VázquezJanuary 1, 2007 – September 1, 2010Democratic64Ruth Noemí ColónSeptember 1, 2010 – May 2, 2011Democratic65Cesar A. PeralesMay 2, 2011 – February 3, 2016Democraticconfirmed by State Senate on June 7, 201166Rossana RosadoFebruary 3, 2016 – November 4, 2021Democraticconfirmed by State Senate on June 16, 2016, became Commissioner of the Department of Criminal Justice Services–Brendan C. Hughes (acting)November 4, 2021 – December 9, 2021Democratic67Robert J. RodriguezDecember 9, 2021 – May 8, 2024Democraticconfirmed by State Senate on March 2, 2022, became president and CEO of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York–Brendan C. Hughes (acting)May 8, 2024 – May 22, 2024Democratic68Walter T. MosleyMay 22, 2024 – presentDemocraticconfirmed by State Senate on May 22, 2024

See also List of company registers#United States

Notes

Sources Google Books The Civil List of New York

External links Official website of the New York Department of State Department of State in the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations New York Secretary of State foreign qualification