California State Secretary of State
Duties and Responsibilities

The Secretary of State is elected at the same time and in the same manner as the Governor to a maximum of two four-year terms. He is the third officer in line of succession to the office of Governor.

The Government Code provides that the Secretary of State shall keep a correct record of the official acts of the Legislative and Executive Departments of the government. He is charged with the custody of the enrolled copy of the Constitution, all acts and resolutions passed by the Legislature, the Journals of each house, the Great Seal and all books, records, deeds, parchments, maps, and papers, kept or deposited in the office pursuant to law. As custodian of the public archives, he must maintain and properly equip safe and secure vaults for the preservation of the documents placed in his charge.

The Secretary of State is the chief elections officer of the state and has the responsibility for administering the provisions of the Elections Code. Foremost among these duties is preparing and ordering the printing of the ballot pamphlet. This pamphlet contains a complete copy of the text of all measures submitted to the voters; a summary of the measure prepared by the Attorney General; an analysis of the measure prepared by the Legislative Analyst; arguments in support of the measure and rebuttals thereto; and, the total vote on the measure in the Senate and the Assembly if the proposition was passed by the Legislature. He must compile the election returns and issue certificates of election to successful candidates.

He must affix the Great Seal, with his attestation, to commissions, pardons and other public documents which require the Governor's signature.

[Taken from: California's Legislature (1994). Republished with permission.]