The secretary of state of New Jersey is a member of the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey and is one of the original state offices. The secretary oversees the Department of State, as well as artistic, cultural, and historical programs, and volunteerism and community service, projects within the state. The secretary is also the keeper of the Great Seal of the State and is appointed by the governor.
The department's agencies include the State Archives, the New Jersey State Museum, the Division of Elections, the Division of Programs, the Business Action Center, the Council on the Arts, the Historical Commission, the Cultural Based Initiatives, the Center for Hispanic Research and Development, the Office for Planning Advocacy and the State Planning Commission. The secretary of higher education, the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, the State Library, and the Sports and Exposition Authority are in but not of the department.
The New Jersey Division of Archives and Records Management, sometimes referred to simply as the "State Archives", is the repository for all vital statistics, including marriage and divorce records and birth certificates, and also maintains a separate set of files for the registry of wills. The secretary of state oversees the Division of Tourism which advertises and promotes New Jersey as a premier travel destination and the Division of Elections, and sets all tourism and election policy.
The secretary is the chief elections officer of New Jersey. Prior to April 1, 2008, the electoral division was under the state attorney general.Division of Elections transfer of authority The secretary of state is also the chair of the Board of State Canvassers, which certifies election results for federal and state office elections and public questions.New Jersey State Legislative Manual 2013
In New Jersey, registry of corporations is not the responsibility of the secretary of state. The New Jersey Department of the Treasury is responsible for the maintenance of corporate records.
In New Jersey, the secretary of state serves a term of office concurrent with that of the governor.New Jersey State Constitution Art V, Sec 4 Although the conventional wisdom is that the secretary of state cannot be removed from office except "for cause" by the governor or by way of legislative impeachment,Letter from OLS Deputy Counsel Danielle A. Brucchieri to Senate Republican Office, Office of Legislative Services, May 9, 2005. Accessed December 2, 2008. a recent law review article argues that the governor does not have the authority to remove the secretary of state "for cause,"Eric R. Daleo, "The Scope and Limits of the New Jersey Governor's Authority to Remove the Attorney General and Others 'For Cause'" , Rutgers Law Journal, Vol. 39, Issue 2, page 393, 2008. Accessed December 2, 2008. and this issue has not been tested.
The Secretary of State and Lieutenant Governor was Dale Caldwell until has resignation on September 25, 2026. The acting secretary of state is Shirley Emehelu.
List of officeholders Holders of the office of Secretary of State include:
#ImageSecretary of StateTermGovernorParty1Charles Pettit1776–1779William Livingston2Bowes Reed1778–17943Samuel W. Stockton1794–1795Richard Howell4John Beatty1795–18055James Linn1805–1820Democratic Republican6Daniel Coleman1820–18307James Westcott1830–18408Charles McChesney1840–18519Thomas Allison1851–186110Whitfield Johnson1861–186611Horace Congar1866–187012Henry Kelsey1870–189713George Wurts1897–190214Samuel Dickinson1902–191215David Crater1912–1915Woodrow Wilson16Thomas Martin1915–1926 17Joseph Fitzpatrick1926–1931A. Harry Moore (1926–1929)Morgan Foster Larson (1929–1931)18Thomas A. Mathis1931–1941Morgan Foster Larson (1931–1932)A. Harry Moore (1931–1935)Harold G. Hoffman (1935–1938)A. Harry Moore (1938–1941)Republican19Joseph Brophy1941–1946Charles Edison (1941–1944)Walter F. Edge (1944–1947)20Lloyd B. Marsh1946–1954Walter F. EdgeAlfred E. Driscoll (1947–1953)Republican21Edward J. Patten1954–1962Robert B. Meyner (1954–1962)Democratic22Robert J. Burkhardt1962–1970Richard J. Hughes (1962–1970)Democratic23Paul Sherwin1970–1972William T. Cahill (1970–1974)RepublicanActingRobert Falcey1972–1974William T. Cahill24J. Edward Crabiel1974–1977Brendan ByrneDemocraticActingFrancis Carragher1977DemocraticActingGeorge Lee1977Democratic25Donald Lan1977–1982Democratic26Jane Burgio1982–1990Thomas Kean (1982–1990)Republican27Joan Haberle1990–1992James Florio (1990–94)Democratic28Daniel Dalton1992–1994Democratic29Lonna Hooks1994–1998Christine Todd Whitman (1994–2001)RepublicanActingCarol Cronheim1998–1999Republican30DeForest Soaries1999–2002Christine Todd WhitmanDonald DiFrancesco (2001–2002)Republican31Regena Thomas2002–2006James E. McGreevey (2002–2004)Richard Codey (2004–2006)Democratic32Nina Mitchell Wells2006–2010Jon S. Corzine (2006–2010)Democratic33Kim Guadagno2010–2018Chris Christie (2010–2018)Republican34Tahesha Way2018–2026Phil Murphy (2018–2026)Democratic35Dale Caldwell2026Mikie Sherrill (2026–present)DemocraticActingShirley Emehelu2026-presentDemocratic
Christie to tap lieutenant governor-elect as secretary of stateChristie taps lieutenant governor for double duty as secretary of state
External links Official website of the New Jersey Department of State New Jersey Division of Elections website Official website of the New Jersey Department of Archives and Records Management New Jersey State Museum website
References