The secretary of the state of Connecticut is one of the constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Connecticut. (The definite article is part of the legal job title.) It is an elected position in the state government and has a term length of four years.
The current secretary of the state is Stephanie Thomas, a Democrat who has held the office since January 2023 after defeating Republican opponent Dominic Rapini in the 2022 general election.
The Secretary of the State's Office is composed of two divisions: The Legislation and Elections Administration Division, which administers elections and ensures compliance with state and federal election laws. This division is also responsible for maintaining governmental records, administering the Seal of Connecticut, and licensing notaries public.Overview of the Office of the Secretary of the State The , which charters corporations and other business entities, registers trademarks, service marks, and liens under the Uniform Commercial Code, and issues apostilles.
List of secretaries of state of Connecticut Before statehood Name Town Term of service Years of service Edward Hopkins Hartford 1639–1641 2 yrs. Thomas Welles Hartford 1641–1648 7 yrs. John Cullick Hartford, O 1648–1658 10 yrs. Daniel Clark Windsor, O 1658–1664, 1665–1667 8 yrs. John Allyn Hartford, O 1664–1665, 1667–1696 30 yrs. Eleazer Kimberly Glastonbury, O 1696–1709 13 yrs. William Whiting Hartford, O 1709 3 mo. Caleb Stanly Hartford, O 1709–1712 3 yrs. Richard Lord Hartford, O 1712 17 d. Hezekiah Wyllys Hartford, O 1712–1735 23 yrs. George Wyllys Hartford, O 1735–1796 61 yrs.
Since statehood Connecticut ratified the United States Constitution and gained statehood in 1788.
Image Name Town Political party Term of service George Wyllys Hartford 1788–1796 Samuel Wyllys Hartford 1796–1810 Thomas Day Hartford 1810–1835 Royal Ralph Hinman Southbury 1835–1842 Noah A. Phelps Hartford 1842–1844 Daniel P. Tyler Pomfret 1844–1846 Charles W. Bradley Hartford 1846–1847 John B. Robertson New Haven 1847–1849 Roger H. Mills N. HartfordWhig 1849–1850 Hiram Weed Danbury Democratic 1850 John P. C. Mather New London Democratic 1850–1854 Oliver H. Perry Fairfield Whig 1854–1855 Nehemiah D. Sperry New Haven American 1855–1857 Orville H. Platt Meriden American, Republican 1857–1858 John Boyd Winchester Republican 1858–1861 James Hammond Trumbull Hartford Republican 1861–1866 Leverett E. Pease Somers Union 1866–1869 Hiram Appelman Groton Republican 1869–1870 Thomas M. Waller New London Democratic 1870–1871 Hiram Appelman Groton Republican 1871–1873 D. W. Edgecomb Fairfield Republican 1873 Marvin H. Sanger Canterbury Democratic 1873–1877 Dwight Morris Bridgeport Democratic 1877-–1879 David Torrance Derby Republican 1879–1881 Charles E. Searls Thompson Republican 1881–1883 D. Ward Northrop Middletown Democratic 1883–1885 Charles A. Russell Killingly Republican 1885–1887 Leverett M. Hubbard Wallingford Republican 1887–1889 R. Jay Walsh Greenwich Republican 1889–1893 John J. Phelan Bridgeport Democratic 1893–1895 William C. Mowry Norwich Republican 1895–1897 Charles Phelps Rockville Republican 1897–1899 Huber Clark Willimantic Republican 1899–1901 Charles G. R. Vinal Middletown Republican 1901–1905 Theodore Bodenwein New London Republican 1905–1909 Matthew H. Rogers Bridgeport Republican 1909–1913 Albert Phillips Stamford Democratic 1913–1915 Charles D. Burnes Greenwich Republican 1915–1917 Frederick L. Perry New Haven Republican 1917–1921 Donald J. Warner Salisbury Republican 1921–1923 Francis A. Pallotti Hartford Republican 1923–1929 William L. Higgins Coventry Republican 1929–1933 John A. Danaher Hartford Republican 1933–1935 C. John Satti New London Democratic 1935–1939 Sara B. Crawford Westport Republican 1939–1941 Chase G. Woodhouse New London Democratic 1941–1943 Frances B. Redick Newington Republican 1943–1945 Charles J. Prestia New Britain Democratic 1945–1947 Frances B. Redick Newington Republican 1947–1949 Winifred McDonald Waterbury Democratic 1949–1951 Alice Leopold Weston Republican 1951–1953 Charles B. Keats Bridgeport Republican 1953–1955 Mildred P. Allen Hartford Republican 1955–1959 Ella Grasso Windsor Locks Democratic 1959–1971 Gloria Schaffer Woodbridge Democratic 1971–1978 Henry S. Cohn West Hartford Democratic 1978–1979 Barbara B. Kennelly Hartford Democratic 1979–1982 Maura Melley Wethersfield Democratic 1982–1983 Julia Tashjian Windsor Democratic 1983–1991 Pauline R. Kezer Plainville Republican 1991–1995 Miles S. Rapoport West Hartford Democratic 1995–1999 Susan Bysiewicz Middletown Democratic 1999–2011 Denise Merrill Mansfield Democratic 2011–2022 Mark Kohler North Haven Democratic 2022–2023 Stephanie Thomas Norwalk Democratic 2023–present
See also Attorney General of Connecticut
References
External links List of past Secretaries of the State of Connecticut, from the Connecticut State Library