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Michigan Department of State

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Department of State
Department overview
FormedOctober 6, 1835 (1835-10-06)
TypeState department
JurisdictionState of Michigan
Headquarters
Department executives
Key document
Websitemichigan.gov/sos

The Michigan Department of State is a principal executive department of the government of Michigan. It is responsible for administering elections, regulating notaries public, and maintaining records of statutes and the Great Seal of Michigan. It also serves as the state's department of motor vehicles, administering motor vehicle registration and licensing automobile drivers.[1]

The department is led by the secretary of state of Michigan, a constitutional executive officer elected on a partisan ballot every four years alongside gubernatorial elections. As the name implies, the officeholder was originally responsible for much of state government, but now the duties are similar to those of the other 46 secretaries of states across the United States. The secretary of state is the third-highest elected official in Michigan, and serves as acting governor in the absence of the governor and lieutenant governor.[1] The office of the secretary of state of Michigan is currently held by Jocelyn Benson of the Democratic Party, first elected in 2018.

Under state law, the secretary of state must have at least one office in each of Michigan's 83 counties.[2]

Department organization

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Secretary of State office, Pittsfield Township

Customer Services Administration

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The Customer Services Administration (CSA) is divided into the Bureau of Branch Office Services, the Driver and Vehicle Records Division, the Office of Customer Services, the Department of State Information Center, the Program Procedures Section, and the Program Support Section. The Bureau of Branch Office Services operates a network of branch offices providing driver's licensing, vehicle titling and registration, and voter registration services to the citizens of Michigan. The Driver and Vehicle Records Division manages driver and vehicle records maintenance activities. The Office of Customer Services oversees the Renewal-By-Mail and Internet Renewal, as well as the Uniform Commercial Code. The office serves International Registration Plan vehicle owners and Michigan residents who are out of state. The Department of State Information Center is the point of contact for many citizens seeking information about Secretary of State programs and services. The center also oversees driver and vehicle record sales and the distribution of the annual jury listing to Michigan counties.[1]

Department Services Administration

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The Department Services Administration (DSA) provides coordination and support to the agency in the areas of administration, finance, technology, project management, human resources, employee development, and occupancy management. The DSA includes the Office of Technology and Project Services, the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Occupancy Services, the Accounting Services Division, the Budget Services Division, and the department's Business Application Modernization initiative.[1]

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The Legal and Regulatory Services Administration (LRSA) is divided into the Bureau of Information Security, the Bureau of Regulatory Services, and the Legal Policy and Procedures Section. The LRSA provides research and counsel to the secretary of state on statutes and rules administered.[1]

Secretary of state

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Secretary of State of Michigan
since January 1, 2019
Michigan Department of State
Appointer
  • Popular election
Term length
  • 4 years, renewable once
Inaugural holderKintzing Prichette
Formation1837
Websitemichigan.gov/sos

The secretary of state is elected for a four-year term, concurrent with that of the governor. Candidates are nominated at partisan conventions.[3] Under an amendment to the state Constitution which was passed in 1992, the secretary of state is restricted to two four-year terms in that office.[4]

Under the original 1835 Michigan Constitution, the secretary of state was established as an appointed position. They were appointed by the governor with the consent of the state senate.[5] Under the 1850 Michigan Constitution, the secretary of state became an elected position. Secretaries of state were elected to serve two year terms under this constitution.[6] Under the current 1963 state constitution, the terms of secretaries of state were extended to four years.[7]

The secretary of state receives the courtesy title of The Honorable for life.

List of officeholders

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# Image Name Term Party / Appointer Notes Ref.
1 Kintzing Prichette 1835–1838 Stevens T. Mason [8][9]
2 Randolph Manning 1838–1840 Stevens T. Mason [8][10]
3 Thomas Rowland 1840–1842 William Woodbridge [8][11]
4 Robert P. Eldredge 1842–1846 John S. Barry [8][12]
5 Gideon O. Whittemore 1846–1848 Alpheus Felch [8][13]
6 George W. Peck 1848–1850 Epaphroditus Ransom [8][14]
7 George R. Redfield 1850 John S. Barry Resigned [8][15]
8 Charles H. Taylor 1850–1852 John S. Barry[a] [8][16]
Democratic [8][17]
9 William Graves 1853–1854 Democratic [8][18]
10 John McKinney 1855–1858 Republican [8][19]
11 Nelson G. Isbell 1859–1860 Republican [8][20]
12 James B. Porter 1861–1866 Republican [8][21]
13 Oliver L. Spaulding 1867–1870 Republican [8][22]
14 Daniel Striker 1871–1874 Republican [8][23]
15 Ebenezer G. D. Holden 1875–1878 Republican [8][24]
16 William Jenney 1879–1882 Republican [8][25]
17 Harry A. Conant 1883–1886 Republican [8][26]
18 Gilbert R. Osmun 1887–1890 Republican [8][27]
19 Daniel E. Soper 1891 Democratic Resigned [8][28]
20 Robert R. Blacker 1891–1892 Edwin B. Winans[b] [8][29]
21 John W. Jochim 1893–1894 Republican Removed[c] [8][30]
22 Washington Gardner 1894–1898 John T. Rich[d] [8][31]
Republican [32]
23 Justus S. Stearns 1899–1900 Republican [8][33]
24 Fred M. Warner 1901–1904 Republican [8][34]
25 George A. Prescott 1905–1908 Republican [8][35]
26 Frederick C. Martindale 1909–1914 Republican [8][36]
27 Coleman C. Vaughan 1915–1920 Republican [8][37]
28 Charles J. DeLand 1921–1926 Republican [8][38]
29 John S. Haggerty 1927–1930 Republican [8][39]
30 Frank Fitzgerald 1931–1934 Republican Resigned [8][40]
31 Clarke W. Brown 1934 William Comstock[b] [8][41]
32 Orville E. Atwood 1935–1936 Republican [8][42]
33 Leon D. Case 1937–1938 Democratic [8][43]
34 Harry Kelly 1939–1942 Republican [8][44]
35 Herman H. Dignan 1943–1946 Republican [8][45]
36 Frederick M. Alger Jr. 1947–1952 Republican [8][46]
37 Owen Cleary 1953–1954 Republican [8][47]
38 James M. Hare 1955–1970 Democratic [8][48]
39 Richard H. Austin 1971–1994 Democratic [8][49]
40 Candice Miller 1995–2002 Republican [8][50]
41 Terri Lynn Land 2003–2010 Republican [51][52]
42 Ruth Johnson 2011–2018 Republican [51][53]
43 Jocelyn Benson 2019–present Democratic [51][54]

Notes

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  1. ↑ Appointed by governor to fill vacancy in 1850. Later in 1850, Taylor becomes the first Michigan secretary of state to be elected.
  2. 1 2 Appointed by governor to fill vacancy.
  3. ↑ Removed from office by the governor.
  4. ↑ Initially appointed by governor to fill vacancy, and thereafter elected.

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chapter IV: The Executive Branch" (PDF). Michigan Manual 2011–2012. Michigan Department of State.
  2. ↑ "MCL 257.205 Secretary of state; office and branch offices; establishment; employees; bond; liability for loss of money; person appointed to conduct branch office; compensation and expenses". Michigan Compiled Laws.
  3. ↑ "MCL 168.72 Candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general; nomination at fall state convention". Michigan Complied Laws.
  4. ↑ "Terms limit proposal passes, others fall". The Flint Journal. November 4, 1992. p. 3. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1835". Michigan Legislature. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  6. ↑ "CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1850". Michigan Legislature. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Constitution of Michigan of 1963" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. p. 42. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 "FORMER OFFICIALS OF MICHIGAN" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. p. 5. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  9. ↑ Hemans, Lawton T. (1920). Life and times of Stevens Thomson Mason : the boy governor of Michigan. p. 188.
  10. ↑ "Appointments by the Governor". Detroit Free Press. February 3, 1838. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Appointments by the Governor". Detroit Free Press. February 17, 1840. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Secretary of State". Detroit Free Press. February 3, 1842. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Appointments by the Governor". Detroit Free Press. January 29, 1846. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Appointments by the Governor". Detroit Free Press. February 7, 1848. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Secretary of State Appointed". Detroit Free Press. February 7, 1850. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Secretary of State". Kalamazoo Gazette. April 19, 1850. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Democratic Nominations". Detroit Free Press. September 23, 1850. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Democratic Nominations". Detroit Free Press. September 1, 1852. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Republican Ticket". The Fentonville Observer. November 3, 1854. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "Republican Nominations". The Ann Arbor Journal. September 1, 1858. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "Republican State Nominations". Cass County Weekly. November 1, 1860. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "Republican Nominations". Jackson Citizen Patriot. September 3, 1866. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "Republican State Ticket". Grand Rapids Eagle. September 2, 1870. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "Republican State Ticket". Grand Rapids Eagle. September 2, 1874. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "Republican Nominations". Grand Rapids Eagle. September 2, 1878. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "Republican Nominations". Jackson Citizen Patriot. September 4, 1882. p. 4. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ "Republican State Ticket". Lansing State Journal. September 1, 1886. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "Democratic State Ticket". The Saginaw News. September 13, 1890. p. 4. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ "Untitled". Niles Daily Sun. December 24, 1891. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ "Republican State Ticket". Lansing State Journal. September 1, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "They Must Go". Marshall Evening Chronicle. March 21, 1894. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ↑ "Republican State Tickets". The Independent. September 1, 1894. p. 4. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ↑ "Republican State Ticket". The Flint Journal. September 22, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ↑ "The Republican Ticket". The Flint Journal. September 4, 1900. p. 4. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ↑ "Republican Ticket". Lansing State Journal. September 1, 1904. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ↑ "Republican Ticket". Charlevoix County Herald. October 3, 1908. p. 4. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ↑ "The Conventions Held Yesterday Quiet Affairs". The Times Herald. October 1, 1914. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ↑ "Wiley, Gorman, Deland, Chosen by State G.O.P." The Saginaw News. September 24, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ↑ "Republicans to State Meeting". Midland Daily News. September 30, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ↑ "G.O.P. Candidates Certify Each Other For Fall Election". The Herald-Press. October 3, 1930. p. 2. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ↑ "Clarke W. Brown is Made Secretary of Utilities Commission". The Herald-Press. January 15, 1935. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ↑ "Voters To Get A Big Ballot Election Day". The Bessemer Herald. November 2, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ↑ "Tickets Made Up, Both Parties Seek November Victory". The Monroe Evening News. September 30, 1936. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ↑ "State Tickets This Fall". Jackson Citizen Patriot. October 4, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  45. ↑ "Candidates' Battle Front for Tuesday". The Niles Daily Star. November 2, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  46. ↑ "1,200,000 Expected To Vote November 5". Lansing State Journal. October 27, 1946. p. 3. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  47. ↑ "Voters Will Be Handed Four Ballots". The Sault News. November 1, 1952. p. 9. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  48. ↑ "Here's The Lineup For Tomorrow's Election". The Ann Arbor News. November 1, 1954. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  49. ↑ "State Offices". The Kalamazoo Gazette. November 1, 1970. p. 25. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  50. ↑ "Election Day '94". The Grand Rapids Press. November 1, 1994. p. 56. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  51. 1 2 3 "SECRETARIES OF STATE, 1835-2019" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. p. 3. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  52. ↑ "Clinton rallies the troops for Granholm in Detroit". The Grand Rapids Press. November 2, 2002. p. 14. Retrieved August 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  53. ↑ "Snyder, Bernero make late push". The Kalamazoo Gazette. November 1, 2010. p. 2. Retrieved August 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  54. ↑ "Jocelyn Benson wins race for Michigan Secretary of State". WZZM. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
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