New Jersey Secretary of State
| New Jersey Secretary of State | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $175,000 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $2,074,805,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves a term coterminous with the governor |
| Authority: | New Jersey Constitution, Article V, Section IV |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by Governor |
| Current Officeholder | |
New Jersey Secretary of State
Tahesha Way | |
| Other New Jersey Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Comptroller• Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Commissioner • Commissioner of Environmental Protection • Labor Commissioner • Public Utilities Board | |
The Secretary of State for New Jersey is an appointed state executive position in the New Jersey state government. The secretary is the state's chief election official, the head of the Department of State, and has authority over the Department of Archives and Records Management, which maintains the state's vital records. Additionally, the secretary oversees artistic, cultural, and historical programs and sets tourism policies in the state.[1]
New Jersey has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Tahesha Way (D). Way was nominated to serve as the New Jersey Secretary of State on December 18, 2017, by then-Governor-elect Phil Murphy (D). She was sworn in on February 26, 2018, after her nomination was confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate.[2]
Authority
The secretary's authority is derived from Article V, Section 4 of the New Jersey Constitution.
Article V, Section 4:
| The Secretary of State and the Attorney General shall be nominated and appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate to serve during the term of office of the Governor, except the Governor may appoint the Lieutenant Governor to serve as Secretary of State without the advice and consent of the Senate.[3] |
Qualifications
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that establishes the requirements necessary to qualify for a state executive office. That information for the New Jersey Secretary of State has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Appointments
In accordance with Article V, Section 4 of the New Jersey Constitution, the secretary of state is appointed via the governor with the "advice and consent" of the state Senate. However, the governor may appoint the lieutenant governor to serve in the position without Senate approval. The secretary's term in office is the same as that of the governor.[3]
Vacancies
Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article V, Section I.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of secretary of state, the governor, with the consent of the state Senate, appoints a new officeholder. If the vacancy occurs while the Senate is in recess, the governor makes an interim appointment, which expires at the end of the next regular session of the senate.[3]
Duties
The secretary is the state's chief election official, the head of the Department of State, and has authority over the Department of Archives and Records Management, which maintains the state's vital records. Additionally, the secretary oversees artistic, cultural, and historical programs and sets tourism policies in the state.[1]
Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the New Jersey Secretary of State has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
The Department of State consists of the following divisions:[4]
- Business Action Center
- Elections
- Travel & Tourism
State budget
- See also: New Jersey state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of State in Fiscal Year 2024 was $2,074,805,000.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $175,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, the secretary of state received a salary of $175,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2020, the secretary of state received a salary of $175,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, the secretary of state received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, the secretary of state received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, the secretary of state received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, the secretary of state received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, the secretary of state received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2010
In 2010, the secretary received a salary of $141,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the New Jersey Secretary of State has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms New Jersey Secretary of State. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Mailing Address:
NJ Department of State
PO Box 300
Trenton, NJ 08625
Phone: 609-777-2581
Email: feedback@sos.state.nj.us
See also
| New Jersey | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Department of State, "Statutes & Rules," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ State of New Jersey Department of State, "About the Secretary," accessed August 5, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 New Jersey State Legislature, "New Jersey State Constitution 1947," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ NJ.gov, "Departments & Agencies," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ State of New Jersey, "Appropriations Handbook: Fiscal Year 2023-2024," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 22, 2011
| |||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
 |
State of New Jersey Trenton (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |