Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

The secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (or "secretary of state") administers the Pennsylvania Department of State of the U.S. state (officially, "commonwealth") of Pennsylvania. The Department protects the public's health, safety and welfare by licensing more than one million business, health and real estate professionals; maintaining registration and financial information for thousands of charities soliciting contributions from Pennsylvanians; overseeing Pennsylvania's electoral process; maintaining corporate filings; and sanctioning professional boxing, kick-boxing and wrestling in the commonwealth. Unlike many other states (where the office of secretary of state is an elected position), in Pennsylvania this position is appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Pennsylvania Senate.

Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Seal of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Incumbent
Vacant
Pennsylvania Department of State
TypeSecretary
Formation1915
First holderCyrus Woods

By statute, the secretary is a member of the following boards and commissions:

The secretary is the keeper of the Great Seal of the Commonwealth and has the duty of authenticating government documents through the seal's use. The secretary is also the commonwealth's chief election official.

The current secretary of the commonwealth is Kathy Boockvar.

List of secretaries

Name Dates served Appointed by
Cyrus Woods 1915–1921 Martin Grove Brumbaugh
Bernard J. Myers 1921–1923 William Cameron Sproul
Clyde L. King 1923–1926 Gifford Pinchot
E. H. Conarroe 1926–1927
Charles Johnson 1927–1929 John Stuchell Fisher
Robert R. Lewis 1929–1930
James Walker 1930–1931
Richard J. Beamish 1931–1934 Gifford Pinchot
John J. Owen 1934–1935
David L. Lawrence 1935–1939 George Earle
Sophia O'Hara 1939–1943 Arthur James
Charles M. Morrison 1943–1949 Edward Martin
Gene D. Smith 1949–1955 James H. Duff
James A. Finnegan 1955 Edward Martin
Henry Harner 1955–1956 George M. Leader
James A. Finnegan 1956–1958
John S. Rice 1958–1961
E. James Trimarchi 1961-1963 David L. Lawrence
George I. Bloom 1963-1965 William Scranton
W. Stuart Helm 1965–1967
Craig Truax 1967-1968 Raymond P. Shafer
Joseph J. Kelley 1968–1971
C. Delores Tucker 1971-1977 Milton Shapp
Barton A. Fields 1977–1979
Ethel D. Allen 1979 Dick Thornburgh
William R. Davis 1979-1985
Robert Gleason 1985–1987
James J. Haggerty 1987-1989 Bob Casey Sr.
Christopher A. Lewis 1989–1991
Brenda K. Mitchell 1992–1994
Robert N. Grant 1994–1995
Yvette Kane 1995-1998 Tom Ridge
Kim Pizzingrilli 1999–2002
C. Michael Weaver 2002-2003 Mark Schweiker
Pedro Cortés 2003-2010 Ed Rendell
Basil L. Merenda 2010–2011
Carol Aichele 2011-2015 Tom Corbett
Pedro Cortés 2015-2017 Tom Wolf
Kathy Boockvar 2019–present

Structure of the Department of State

The Pennsylvania Department of State consists of six bureaus:

  • Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
  • Bureau of Finance and Operations
  • Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation
  • Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs
  • Bureau of Commissions, Elections, and Legislation
  • State Athletic Commission

See also


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