New Hampshire Secretary of State

The secretary of state of New Hampshire is a constitutional officer in the U.S. state of New Hampshire and serves as the exclusive head of the New Hampshire Department of State. The secretary is third in line for succession as acting governor of New Hampshire, following the state's president of the Senate and speaker of the House.[1] The secretary oversees all state elections, including certifying the results, and keeps the official records of the state.[1] The secretary is, by statute, the only person who can authorize use of the State Seal.[2]

Secretary of State of New Hampshire
Incumbent
David Scanlan
since January 10, 2022
Government of New Hampshire
SeatConcord, New Hampshire
Term lengthTwo years, no term limit
Constituting instrumentNew Hampshire Constitution of 1776
FormationJanuary 21, 1680
(344 years ago)
 (1680-01-21)
Websitesos.nh.gov

The secretary is elected biennially by the New Hampshire General Court (state legislature), as prescribed in the Constitution of New Hampshire as adopted in 1784.[1] The position itself dates to 1680, when the Province of New Hampshire was under British rule.[1]

List of officeholders

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Office of the Secretary of State
# Image Name Term of office Party
1 Elias Stileman[3] 1680–1682
2 Richard Chamberlain[4] 1682–1693
3 Thomas Davis 1692–1693
4 Thomas Newton 1693–1696
5 Henry Penny 1696–1697
6 Charles Story 1697–1698
7 Henry Penny 1698
8 Sampson Sheafe 1698–1699
9 Charles Story 1699–1704
10 Samuel Penhallow 1704–1705
11 Charles Story 1705–1719
12 Richard Waldron 1719–1730
13   Richard Waldron Jr. 1730–1741
14 Theodore Atkinson 1741–1762
15 Theodore Atkinson Jr. 1762–1769
16 Theodore Atkinson 1769–1775
17 Ebenezer Thompson 1775–1786
18 Joseph Pearson 1786–1805
19 Philip Carrigan 1805–1809
20 Nathaniel Parker 1809–1810
21 Samuel Sparhawk 1810–1814
22 Albe Cady 1814–1816
23 Samuel Sparhawk 1816–1825
24 Richard Bartlett 1825–1829
25 Dudley S. Palmer 1829–1831
26   Ralph Metcalf 1831–1838 Democratic
27 Josiah Stevens Jr. 1838–1843
28 Thomas P. Treadwell 1843–1846
29   George G. Fogg 1846–1847 Republican
30 Thomas P. Treadwell 1847–1850
31 John L. Hadley 1850–1855
32 Lemuel N. Pattee 1855–1858
33 Thomas L. Tullock 1858–1861
34 Allen Tenney 1861–1865
35 Benjamin Gerrish Jr. 1865
36   Walter Harriman 1865–1867 Union
37 John D. Lyman 1867–1870
38 Nathan W. Gove 1870–1871
39 John H. Goodale 1871–1872
40   Benjamin F. Prescott 1872–1873 Republican
41 William Butterfield 1874–1875
42   Benjamin F. Prescott 1875–1876
43 Ali B. Thompson 1877–1890
44 Clarence B. Randlett 1890–1891
46   Ezra S. Stearns 1891–1899 Republican[5]
46   Edward Nathan Pearson 1899–1915 Republican
47 Edwin C. Bean 1915–1923 Republican[6]
48   Enos K. Sawyer 1923–1925 Democratic
49 Hobart Pillsbury 1925–1929 Republican[7]
50 Enoch D. Fuller 1929–1957 Republican[8]
51 Harry E. Jackson 1957–1960 Republican[9]
52 Robert L. Stark 1960–1976 Republican[10]
53   Bill Gardner 1976–2022 Democratic
54   David Scanlan 2022–present Republican

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "About". NH.gov. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  2. ^ "TITLE I THE STATE AND ITS GOVERNMENT: Chapter 3 STATE EMBLEMS, FLAG, ETC". NH.us. New Hampshire General Court. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  3. ^ Carter, Hosea B., ed. (1891). The New Hampshire Manual for the General Court 1680—1891. Concord: Office of the Secretary of State. p. 120. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  4. ^ Ladd, Karen H., ed. (1991). State of New Hampshire Manual for the General Court (52 ed.). New Hampshire Department of State. p. 94. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Republican Caucuses". The Boston Post. January 21, 1891. p. 5. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Edwin C. Bean Elected Secretary of State". The Boston Globe. April 8, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Winant Forces Win In Caucus". The Boston Globe. January 7, 1925. p. 22. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "State Official's Car In Fatal Accident". The Portsmouth Herald. AP. October 27, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Delegates Elect W.D. Scamman as House Speaker". The Portsmouth Herald. AP. January 2, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Republicans Meet Tonight, Pick Nominees". The Portsmouth Herald. AP. January 3, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
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