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Indiana Secretary of State
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Current officeholder
The current acting secretary of state is Jerry Bonnet. Bonnet was appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels on February 4, 2012 to replace Charlie White after White was found guilty of six felony charges, including voter fraud, perjury and theft. Daniels waited to make Bonnet's appointment permanent until a Hamilton County judge decided whether or not to reduce the charged Class D felonies to misdemeanors.[1] White was first elected in November 2010 and assumed office on January 1, 2011.[2] Ultimately, the charges were not reduced, therefore White cannot resume his post. Bonnet will serve out the remainder of the term, depending on the verdict of a pending parallel case investigating allegations that White improperly registered himself under a false address, thus ineligible for election to begin with. If determined to be true, Democrat Vip Osili, the candidate with the next highest number of votes from the 2010 election, will take office.
Qualifications
Candidates for secretary of state, as with all Indiana state and local offices, must be registered to vote. He or she must also file a "statement of economic interest" regarding any possible financial interests a candidate may have in the office. Additionally, there are a variety of factors that can disqualify a potential candidate for secretary of state, including:[3]
- Offering a bribe, threat or reward to procure their own election.
- Having been convicted of a felon.
- Having been previously removed from office.
- Being a member of the U.S. armed forces
Elections
Secretaries of state are elected to four year terms during federal midterm election years (2006, 2010, 2014, etc.) and take office on January 1 in the year following their election.[2] Elections occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.[4]
Term limits
Secretaries of state may only serve eight out of any twelve years, a de facto two consecutive term limit.[5]
Vacancies
The governor fills vacancies in the office of secretary of state by appointment; the appointee serves until the next election.[6]
Indiana Constitution, Article 5, Section 18
| When, during a recess of the General Assembly, a vacancy shall happen in any office, the appointment to which is vested in the General Assembly; or when, at any time, a vacancy shall have occurred in any other State office, or in the office of Judge of any Court; the Governor shall fill such vacancy, by appointment, which shall expire, when a successor shall have been elected and qualified. |
Duties
The secretary is responsible for "maintenance of state records and preservation of the state seal." He or she also charters new businesses, regulates the securities industry within Indiana, runs state elections and provides a number of services to the state's automobile dealers. The secretary of state also provides a variety of educational materials, from guides instructing entrepreneurs how to start a new business to voter and candidate registration information.
Divisions
The office of the secretary of state has four divisions:
- The Elections Division - responsible for overseeing elections, registering candidates, and monitoring campaign finance.
- The Business Services Division - charters corporations, registers trademarks, notaries public, and liens under the Uniform Commercial Code, and issues apostilles.
- The Securities Division - oversees the state's securities industry, as well as mortgage brokers, retirement facilities, and collection agencies. It is also responsible for administering state and federal securities laws.
- The Dealer Division - responsible for the oversight and regulation of motor vehicle dealerships, including dealers for automobiles, watercraft, off-road vehicles and automobile salvage.
Compensation
In 2011, the secretary received compensation in the amount of $68,772.[7] The secretary's compensation is determined by the state constitution. However, the salaries of all elected executive officers increase annually at the same rate as lower-ranking state employees in the executive branch.
Contact information
Capitol Address:
Indiana Secretary of State
201 Statehouse
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 232-6531
Fax: (317) 233-3283
See also
External links
References
- ↑ The Reporter-Times, "Daniels appoints interim SoS to replace White", February 5, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Indiana Code, "IC 4-5-1-1," accessed June 21, 2011.
- ↑ Indiana Code, "IC 3-8-1-1,5,33," accessed June 21, 2011.
- ↑ Indiana Code, "IC 3-10-2-1," accessed June 21, 2011.
- ↑ Indiana Constitution, "Article 6, Section 1," accessed June 21, 2011.
- ↑ Indiana Constitution, "Article 5, Section 18," accessed June 22, 2011.
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of States 2011- Table 4.11", accessed February 2, 2012
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