National Association of Secretaries of State
Encyclopedia
The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), founded in 1904, is the oldest non-partisan professional organization of public officials in the United States, composed of the Secretaries of State
of U.S. state
s and territories. Currently, all secretaries of state, including Washington D.C., Puerto Rico
, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam
) are members of NASS.
NASS maintains its office in Washington, D.C.
, and promotes positions on issues of interest to Secretaries of State: voter turnout, voting procedures, business services, electronic government, securities, and government archives.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortés
became the first Puerto Rican president of the organization, and the last one to hold the position for a full one-year term, followed by Maine's Matt Dunlap, whose term was cut short by his electoral defeat in the 2010 midterm elections. Minnessota's Mark Ritchie has filled the remainder of Dunlap's term.
. (July 2007) http://nass.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=210
NASS has called on the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
to publish a plain English guide to the new Voluntary Voting System Guidelines
. (July 2007) http://nass.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=28&Itemid=159
NASS has also published a position paper on Federal legislation, calling on the Congress to respect states rights. (February 2007) http://nass.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=28&Itemid=159
Secretary of State (U.S. state government)
Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...
of U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s and territories. Currently, all secretaries of state, including Washington D.C., Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
) are members of NASS.
NASS maintains its office in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and promotes positions on issues of interest to Secretaries of State: voter turnout, voting procedures, business services, electronic government, securities, and government archives.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortés
Pedro A. Cortés
Pedro A. Cortés is the former Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.-Education and Training:...
became the first Puerto Rican president of the organization, and the last one to hold the position for a full one-year term, followed by Maine's Matt Dunlap, whose term was cut short by his electoral defeat in the 2010 midterm elections. Minnessota's Mark Ritchie has filled the remainder of Dunlap's term.
Positions of NASS
NASS has taken a stand on the issue of the United States presidential primaries, promoting the Rotating Regional Primary SystemRotating Regional Primary System
The Rotating Regional Primary System is a proposed system for reform of the United States presidential primary process. Under the plan, the country would be divided into four regions...
. (July 2007) http://nass.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=210
NASS has called on the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Election Assistance Commission
The Election Assistance Commission is an independent agency of the United States government created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 . The Commission serves as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration...
to publish a plain English guide to the new Voluntary Voting System Guidelines
Voluntary Voting System Guidelines
The Voluntary Voting System Guidelines are guidelines adopted by the United States Election Assistance Commission for the certification of voting systems...
. (July 2007) http://nass.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=28&Itemid=159
NASS has also published a position paper on Federal legislation, calling on the Congress to respect states rights. (February 2007) http://nass.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=28&Itemid=159
NASS Presidents
- Mark RitchieMark RitchieDonald Mark Ritchie was elected the 21st Minnesota Secretary of State on November 7, 2006. He was re-elected in 2010. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. He grew up in Iowa, and graduated from Iowa State University in 1971...
- MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(2011) - Matt Dunlap - MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
(2010) - Pedro Cortés - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(2008–09) - Todd RokitaTodd RokitaTheodore Edward "Todd" Rokita is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He is formerly the two term Secretary of State of Indiana...
- IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
(2007–08) - Rebecca Vigil-GironRebecca Vigil-GironRebecca Vigil-Giron is an American politician, who served as a Democratic Secretary of State in New Mexico from 1987 to 1990, and from 1999 to 2006. She is the longest serving Secretary of State in New Mexico History.-Background:...
- New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
(2004–05) - Mary KiffmeyerMary KiffmeyerMary Kiffmeyer is an American politician who served as the 20th Minnesota Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007.She was subsequently elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2008, and currently represents District 16B....
- MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(2003–04) - Joan Anderson Growe - MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(1979–80) - Joseph DonovanJoseph DonovanJoseph Donovan is an award-winning music producer, engineer, and musician. His credits include the Juno Award winning album Love at the End of the World by Sam Roberts and albums by The High Dials, and The Dears...
- MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(1967–68) - Mike HolmMike HolmMike Holm was a Swedish-born American politician and the longest-serving Minnesota Secretary of State, serving from January 4, 1921 until his death. His wife, Virginia Paul Holm, later succeeded him in the office...
- MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(1924–26) (1944–45)
Annual summer meetings
NASS holds its annual winter meeting in Washington DC, usually during the month of February. Its summer meeting, usually held during the month of July, is rotated throughout the member states and territories. Venues include:- San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
- 2012 - Daniels, West VirginiaDaniels, West VirginiaDaniels is a census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,881 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Daniels is located at ....
- 2011 - Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
- 2010 - Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
- 2009
See also
- Secretary of State (U.S. state government)Secretary of State (U.S. state government)Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...
- Rotating Regional Primary SystemRotating Regional Primary SystemThe Rotating Regional Primary System is a proposed system for reform of the United States presidential primary process. Under the plan, the country would be divided into four regions...