The secretary of state of Kentucky is one of the constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is an elected office, but was an appointed office prior to 1891. The incumbent secretary of state is Republican Michael Adams, who was elected on November 5, 2019; he took office on January 6, 2020.
History and name of position Despite the fact that Kentucky designates itself a commonwealth, the office itself is still referred to as "Secretary of State" (unlike Virginia, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, which refer to the office as "Secretary of the Commonwealth"). The office was created by Article II, Section 17 of the Kentucky Constitution of 1792 simply as "the secretary". Article III, Section 21, of the Kentucky Constitution of 1850 changed the title of the office to Secretary of State.
Section 91 of the Kentucky Constitution of 1891 (the most recent state constitution), changed the method by which the secretary of state is selected. Prior to 1891, the secretary was appointed by the governor; under the present Constitution, the secretary of state is elected by the qualified voters of the state. The most recent election was in 2023. In 1992, the Constitution was amended to allow the secretary of state to serve two successive terms.Executive Branch of the Office of the Secretary of State—History of the officeTimeline of legal changes to the Office of Secretary of State
Emma Guy Cromwell ran for the office of Secretary of State, defeating another woman, Mary Elliott Flanery, and two men in the 1923 Democratic primary. In the general election, Cromwell went on to defeat her Republican opponent, Eleanor Wickliffe. She was sworn in on January 10, 1924, and became the first woman elected to statewide office in Kentucky.
Structure and duties of the office The secretary of state's office is composed of five divisions:
The Business Services Division is responsible for maintaining records regarding creation and status of corporations and business entities, registration of trademarks and service marks, recording liens made pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code. The Elections Division certifies the name, party affiliation and ballot position of all candidates filed with him to the appropriate county clerks for ballot printing. The actual administration of elections is conducted by a separate, independent agency, the Kentucky State Board of Elections, of which the secretary of state serves as chair. The Administrative Services Division appoints notaries public, issues apostilles, and serves as the registered agent for service of process in cases involving foreign corporations, as well as service of summons and petitions in actions against non-resident motorists. The Kentucky Land Office is an archive of land patents and land grants dating back to the colonial era. The Executive Branch of the Office of the Secretary of State files and maintains legislation passed by the Kentucky General Assembly and executive orders of the governor of Kentucky, including appointments to the Order of Kentucky Colonels. This division is also the keeper of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the personal seal of the secretary of state.
List of secretaries of state of Kentucky # Image Name Term of office Party1James Brown 1792–1796Democratic-Republican2Harry Toulmin 1796–1804Democratic-Republican3John Rowan 1804–1807Democratic-Republican4Alfred W. Grayson 1807–18085William C. Greenup18086Jesse Bledsoe1808–1812Democratic-Republican7Fielding Winlock18128Martin D. Hardin1812Democratic-Republican9Christopher Greenup1813Democratic-Republican10Martin D. Hardin1813–1816Democratic-Republican11Charles Stewart Todd1816Democratic-Republican12John Pope1816–1819Democratic-Republican13Oliver G. Waggener1819–182014Cabell Breckinridge1820–1823Democratic-Republican15Thomas Bell Monroe1823–1824Democratic-Republican16William T. Barry1824–1825Democratic-Republican17James C. Pickett1825–1828Democratic-Republican18George Robertson1828Democratic-Republican19Thomas T. Crittenden1828–183220John F. McCurdy183221Lewis Sanders1832–183422John Jordan Crittenden1834–1835National Republican23William Owsley1835–1836National Republican24Austin P. Cox183625James M. Bullock1836–184026James Harlan1840–1844Whig27Benjamin Hardin1844–1846Whig28George B. Kinkead1846–1847Whig29William Decatur Reed1847–1848Whig30Orlando Brown1848–1849Whig31Joshua Fry Bell1849–1850Whig32John William Finnell1850–1851Whig33David Meriwether1851–1852Democratic34James P. Metcalfe1852–1854Democratic35Grant Green1854–1855Democratic36Mason Brown1855–1859American37Thomas Bell Monroe Jr.1859–1861Democratic38Nathaniel Gaither1861–1862Democratic39Daniel C. Wickliffe1862–1863Democratic40Ephraim L. Van Winkle1863–186641John S. Van Winkle1866–186742Samuel B. Churchill1867–1871Democratic43Andrew Jackson James1871–1872Democratic44George Washington Craddock1872–1875Democratic45J. Stoddard Johnston1875–1879Democratic46Samuel B. Churchill1879–1880Democratic47James W. Blackburn1880–1883Democratic48James A. McKenzie1883–1887Democratic49George Madison Adams1887–1891Democratic50Willis Lunsford Ringo1891Democratic51John W. Headley1891–1896Democratic52Charles Finley1896–1899Republican53John W. Headley1899Democratic54Charles Finley1899Republican55Caleb Powers1899–1900Republican56Caleb Breckinridge Hill1900–1904Democratic57Harry V. McChesney1904–1908Democratic58Ben L. Bruner1908–1912Republican59Carl F. Crecelius1912–1916Democratic60James P. Lewis1916–1920Republican61Fred A. Vaughn1920–1924Republican62Emma Guy Cromwell1924–1928Democratic63Ella Lewis1928–1932Democratic64Sara Mahan1932–1936Democratic65Charles D. Arnett1936–1940Democratic66George G. Hatcher1940–1944Democratic67Charles K. O'Connell1944–1948Democratic68George G. Hatcher1948–1952Democratic69Charles K. O'Connell1952–1956Democratic70Thelma Stovall1956–1960Democratic71Henry H. Carter1960–1964Democratic72Thelma Stovall1964–1968Democratic73Elmer Begley1968–1970Republican74Leila Feltner Begley1970–1971Republican75Kenneth F. Harper1971–1972Republican76Thelma Stovall1972–1976Democratic77Drexell R. Davis1976–1980Democratic78Frances Jones Mills1980–1984Democratic79Drexell R. Davis1984–1988Democratic80Bremer Ehrler1988–1992Democratic81Bob Babbage1992–1996Democratic82John Young Brown III1996–2004Democratic83Trey Grayson2004–2011Republican84Elaine Walker2011–2012Democratic85Alison Lundergan Grimes2012–2020Democratic86Michael Adams2020–presentRepublican
See also Kentucky Attorney General
References
External links Official homepage of the Kentucky Secretary of State List of past Secretaries of State of Kentucky