The Secretary of State of Maine

Maine

Maine 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...

is elected by the Legislature in that 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...

. The Maine Secretary of State is responsible for administering elections, the Maine

Maine

Maine 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...

 State Archives, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and for chartering corporation

Corporation

A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...

s. The Secretary of State is elected to no more than two four year terms, concurrent with the other constitutional officers of Maine. The incumbent is Charlie Summers

Charles E. Summers, Jr.

Charles E. "Charlie" Summers, Jr. is a Maine politician and the Secretary of State of Maine. He is also a small businessperson and veteran of Iraq War. He was the Republican candidate for United States Congress in Maine's 1st congressional district several times, including a 2008 defeat to Chellie...

, who took office in January 2011.

List of Secretaries of State

Tenure	Hometown	Secretary of State	Party	Notes
1820–1821	Portland Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...	Ashur Ware Ashur Ware Ashur Ware was a United States federal judge.Born in Sherborn, Massachusetts, Ware received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1804 and read law to enter the Bar in 1816. He was an editor of the Boston Yankee in Boston, Massachusetts from 1816 to 1817, and of the Eastern Argus in Portland, Maine from...	Democratic-Republican
1822–1828	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Amos Nichols	Democratic-Republican
1829–1830	North Yarmouth North Yarmouth, Maine North Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,565 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...	Edward Russell Edward Russell (Maine) Edward Russell served as Maine's Secretary of State and was a brigadier general.Edward Russell was born on August 31, 1782 in Portland, Maine to Dr. Edward Russell and Hannah Clark Russell. He served as a justice of the peace and quorum, represented the town of North Yarmouth, Maine in the...	National Republican
1831–1834	Portland Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...	Roscoe G. Greene	Democrat
1835–1837	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Asaph R. Nichols	Democrat
1838	Winthrop	Samuel P. Benson Samuel P. Benson Samuel Page Benson was a United States Representative from Maine. He was born in Winthrop on November 28, 1804. He received instruction from private teachers and attended the Monmouth Academy of Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1825. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced...	Whig
1839	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Asaph R. Nichols	Democrat
1840	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Philip C. Johnson	Democrat
1841	Winthrop	Samuel P. Benson	Democrat
1842–1844	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Philip C. Johnson	Democrat
1845	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	William B. Hartwell	Democrat
1846–1849	Damariscotta Damariscotta, Maine Damariscotta is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,041 at the 2000 census. A popular tourist resort area, the towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle are linked by the Main Street bridge over the Damariscotta River, forming the "Twin Villages." The name Damariscotta is...	E.B. French	Democrat
1850–1853	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	John G. Sawyer	Democrat
1854–1855	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Alden Jackson	Whig
1856	Cornish Cornish, Maine Cornish is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,269 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...	Caleb R. Ayer	Democrat
1857	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Alden Jackson	Democrat
1858–1860	Calais Calais, Maine Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...	Noah Smith, Jr.	Republican
1861–1863	Presque Isle Presque Isle, Maine Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census...	Joseph B. Hall	Republican
1864–1867	Dover	Ephraim Flint, Jr.	Republican
1868–1871	Brunswick Brunswick, Maine Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...	Franklin M. Drew	Republican
1872–1874	Richmond Richmond, Maine Richmond is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,298 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....	Geo. B. Stacy	Republican	Resigned
1875	Paris, Maine Paris, Maine Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Because the U.S. Post Office refers to the entire town as South Paris, the town as a whole is commonly...	Sidney Perham Sidney Perham Sidney Perham was a U.S. Representative and the 33rd Governor of Maine and was an activist in the temperance movement....	Republican	Previously served as Governor.
1876–1878	Dixmont Dixmont, Maine Dixmont is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,065 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...	S.J. Chadbourne	Democrat
1879	Biddeford Biddeford, Maine Biddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...	Edward H. Gove	Democrat
1880	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	S.J. Chadbourne	Republican
1881–1884	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Joseph O. Smith	Republican
1885–1892	Litchfield Litchfield, Maine Litchfield is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,110 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....	Oramandal Smith	Republican
1891–1986	Fort Fairfield Fort Fairfield, Maine Fort Fairfield is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,496 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 78.4 square miles , of which, 76.6 square miles of it is land and 1.7 square miles ...	Nicholas Fessenden	Republican
1897–1906	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Byron Boyd	Republican
1907–1910	Belfast Belfast, Maine Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County...	Arthur I. Brown	Republican
1911–1912	Waterville Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....	Cyrus W. Dabis	Democrat
1913–1914	Richmond Richmond, Maine Richmond is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,298 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....	Joseph E. Alexander	Republican
1915–1916	Eden	John E. Bunker	Democrat
1917–1926	Dover	Frank W. Ball	Republican
1927–1932	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Edgar C. Smith	Republican
1933–1934	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Robinson C. Tobey	Republican
1935–1936	Newport	Lewis O. Barrows	Republican
1937–1941	Gorham Gorham, Maine Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. In addition to an urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town also encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct...	Frederick Robie	Republican
1942–1960	Gardiner Gardiner, Maine Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,198 at the 2000 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture.-History:...	Harold I. Goss	Republican	Longest-serving Maine Secretary of State
1961–1964	Coopers Mills	Paul A. MacDonald	Republican
1965–1966	Cape Elizabeth Cape Elizabeth, Maine Cape Elizabeth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The town is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...	Kenneth M. Curtis Kenneth M. Curtis Kenneth Merwin Curtis is an American lawyer and former politician. He is currently a principal in the law firm of Curtis Thaxter Stevens Broder & Micoleau Limited Liability Company, P.A....	Democrat
1967–1974	Farmingdale	Joseph T. Edgar	Republican
1975–1978	Greenville Greenville, Maine Greenville is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,623 at the 2000 census. The town is centered around the lower end of Moosehead Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the state. Greenville is the historic gateway to the north country and a center for...	Markham L. Gartley	Democrat	Ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Olympia Snowe Olympia Snowe Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...  in 1978.
1979–1988	Augusta Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...	Rodney S. Quinn	Democrat
1989–1996	Windham Windham, Maine Windham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 17,001 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of South Windham and North Windham...	G. William Diamond	Democrat
1997–2004	Fairfield Fairfield, Maine Fairfield is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,735 at the 2010 census. The town includes Fairfield Center, Fairfield village and Hinckley...	Dan Gwadosky Dan Gwadosky Dan A. Gwadosky was a Maine politician. A Democrat, Gwadosky was first elected to the served Maine House of Representatives in 1978 at the age of 23 and served there for 18 years as well as 8 years as Secretary of State of Maine from 1997-2005. Beginning in 2005, Gwadosky was appointed Director of...	Democrat
2005-2010	Old Town Old Town, Maine Old Town is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,840 at the 2010 census. The city's developed area is chiefly located on a relatively large island, though its boundaries extend beyond that...	Matthew Dunlap Matthew Dunlap Matthew Dunlap is an American Democratic politician from Maine. He is the former Secretary of State of Maine, taking office on January 7, 2005. Leaving office in January 2011, he assumed the role of Executive Director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine...	Democrat
2011-Present	Scarborough	Charles E. Summers, Jr. Charles E. Summers, Jr. Charles E. "Charlie" Summers, Jr. is a Maine politician and the Secretary of State of Maine. He is also a small businessperson and veteran of Iraq War. He was the Republican candidate for United States Congress in Maine's 1st congressional district several times, including a 2008 defeat to Chellie...	Republican