Secretary of State of New York


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.
The current secretary of state of New York is Rossana Rosado, a Democrat.

Duties

The secretary is responsible for the regulation of a number of businesses and professions, including private investigators, cosmetologists, real estate brokers, appraisers, and notaries public. The secretary also regulates cemeteries, registers corporations and business organizations, and maintains business records under the Uniform Commercial Code and other laws. The New York State Athletic Commission is vested within the department 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. 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, 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

#Secretary of StateTenurePartyNotes
1John Morin ScottMarch 13, 1778 – September 14, 1784died in office
2Lewis Allaire ScottOctober 23, 1784 – March 17, 1798–son of John Morin Scott; died in office; longest-serving Secretary of State
3Daniel HaleMarch 24, 1798 – August 10, 1801Federalist
4Thomas TillotsonAugust 10, 1801 – March 16, 1806Democratic-Republican
5Elisha JenkinsMarch 16, 1806 – February 16, 1807Democratic-Republican
6Thomas TillotsonFebruary 16, 1807 – February 1, 1808Dem.-Rep./Lewisite
7Elisha JenkinsFebruary 1, 1808 – February 2, 1810Dem.-Rep./Clintonian
8Daniel HaleFebruary 2, 1810 – February 1, 1811Federalist
9Elisha JenkinsFebruary 1, 1811 – February 23, 1813Democratic-Republican
10Jacob R. Van RensselaerFebruary 23, 1813 – February 16, 1815Federalist
11Peter Buell PorterFebruary 16, 1815 – February 12, 1816Democratic-Republican
12Robert L. TillotsonFebruary 12, 1816 – April 16, 1817son of Thomas Tillotson
13Charles D. CooperApril 16, 1817 – April 24, 1818Democratic-Republicanson-in-law of Acting Governor John Tayler
14John Van Ness YatesApril 24, 1818 – February 14, 1826Democratic-Republicanfirst appointed, in 1823 re-elected by the State Legislature
15Azariah Cutting FlaggFebruary 14, 1826 – January 12, 1833Democratic-Republicanthree terms; then elected New York State Comptroller
16John Adams DixJanuary 15, 1833 – February 4, 1839Democrattwo terms
17John Canfield SpencerFebruary 4, 1839 – October 11, 1841Whigresigned to become Secretary of War
18Archibald CampbellOctober 11, 1841 – February 7, 1842as Deputy Secretary, acted until the election of a successor
19Samuel YoungFebruary 7, 1842 – February 8, 1845Dem./Barnburner
20Nathaniel S. BentonFebruary 8, 1845 – December 31, 1847Dem./Hunkerlegislated out of office by State Constitution of 1846
21Christopher MorganJanuary 1, 1848 – December 31, 1851Whigfirst Secretary elected by general ballot; two terms
22Henry S. RandallJanuary 1, 1852 – December 31, 1853Democrat
23Elias W. LeavenworthJanuary 1, 1854 – December 31, 1855Whig
24Joel T. HeadleyJanuary 1, 1856 – December 31, 1857American
25Gideon J. TuckerJanuary 1, 1858 – December 31, 1859Democrat
26David R. Floyd-JonesJanuary 1, 1860 – December 31, 1861Democratic
27Horatio BallardJanuary 1, 1862 – December 31, 1863Union
28Chauncey DepewJanuary 1, 1864 – December 31, 1865Union
29Francis C. BarlowJanuary 1, 1866 – December 31, 1867Republican
30Homer A. NelsonJanuary 1, 1868 – December 31, 1871Democrattwo terms
31G. Hilton ScribnerJanuary 1, 1872 – December 31, 1873Republican
32Diedrich Willers, Jr.January 1, 1874 – December 31, 1875Democrat
33John BigelowJanuary 1, 1876 – December 31, 1877Democrat
34Allen C. BeachJanuary 1, 1878 – December 31, 1879Democrat
35Joseph B. CarrJanuary 1, 1880 – December 31, 1885Republicanthree terms
36Frederick CookJanuary 1, 1886 – December 31, 1889Democrattwo terms
37Frank RiceJanuary 1, 1890 – December 31, 1893Democrat
38John PalmerJanuary 1, 1894 – December 31, 1898Republicantwo terms
39John T. McDonoughJanuary 1, 1899 – December 31, 1902Republicantwo terms
40John F. O'BrienJanuary 1, 1903 – December 31, 1906Republicantwo terms
41John S. WhalenJanuary 1, 1907 – December 31, 1908Dem./Ind. L.
42Samuel S. KoenigJanuary 1, 1909 – December 31, 1910Republican
43Edward LazanskyJanuary 1, 1911 – December 31, 1912Democrat
44Mitchell MayJanuary 1, 1913 – December 31, 1914Democrat
45Francis HugoJanuary 1, 1915 – December 31, 1920Republicanthree terms
46John J. LyonsJanuary 1, 1921 – December 31, 1922Republican
47James A. HamiltonJanuary 1, 1923 – December 31, 1924Democrat
48Florence E. S. KnappJanuary 1, 1925 – January 17, 1927Republicanfirst woman in this office; and last elected Secretary of State
49Robert MosesJanuary 17, 1927 – January 1, 1929Republicanfirst Secretary of State appointed by the Governor
50Edward J. FlynnJanuary 1, 1929 – January 17, 1939Democrat
51Michael F. WalshJanuary 17, 1939 – January 1, 1943Democratic
52Thomas J. CurranJanuary 1, 1943 – January 1, 1955Republican
53Carmine DeSapioJanuary 1, 1955 – January 1, 1959Democratic
54Caroline K. SimonJanuary 1, 1959 – August 22, 1963Republicanappointed a judge of the New York Court of Claims
55John P. LomenzoAugust 22, 1963 – January 1, 1974Republican
56John J. GhezziJanuary 1, 1974 – January 1, 1975Republican
57Mario CuomoJanuary 1, 1975 – December 31, 1978Democratelected Lieutenant Governor
58Basil PatersonJanuary 1, 1979 – January 1, 1983Democrat
59Gail ShafferJanuary 1, 1983 – January 4, 1995Democrat
60Alexander TreadwellJanuary 4, 1995 – April 12, 2001Republicanbecame Chairman of the Republican State Committee
61Randy DanielsApril 12, 2001 – September 23, 2005Republicana Democrat when appointed, became a Republican in 2002, resigned
62Frank MilanoSeptember 23, 2005 – April 19, 2006Republicanas First Deputy Secretary acted until the appointment of a successor
63Christopher JacobsApril 19, 2006 – January 1, 2007Republican
64Lorraine Cortés-VázquezJanuary 1, 2007 – September 1, 2010Democrat
65Ruth Noemí ColónSeptember 1, 2010 – May 2, 2011Democrat
66Cesar A. PeralesMay 2, 2011 – February 3, 2016Democratconfirmed by State Senate on June 7, 2011
ActingRossana RosadoFebruary 3, 2016 – IncumbentDemocratconfirmed by State Senate on June 16, 2016