Secretary of State elections, 2016

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Eight states held elections for secretary of state on November 8, 2016.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Five seats changed party hands in 2016, with a net gain of three seats for Republicans.

* Though Republicans held the majority of secretary of state seats across the country, Democrats held six of the eight seats up for election in 2016.

* New Mexico held a special election following the mid-term resignation of Secretary of State Dianna Duran (R).

Click on a state flag to jump to election details:

* Missouri
* Montana
* New Mexico
* North Carolina

* Oregon
* Vermont
* Washington
* West Virginia

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## Contents

* 1 Partisan analysis
* 1.1 Influence of voter turnout
* 2 2016 elections
* 2.1 Missouri
* 2.2 Prominent candidates
* 2.3 Other candidates
* 2.4 General election results
* 2.5 Primary election results
* 2.5.1 Democratic primary election
* 2.5.2 Republican primary election
* 2.5.3 Libertarian primary election
* 2.6 Montana
* 3 Results
* 3.1 General election
* 3.2 Primary elections
* 3.2.1 Republican primary contest
* 3.2.2 Democratic primary contest
* 3.2.3 Libertarian primary contest
* 3.3 New Mexico
* 4 Results
* 4.1 General election
* 4.2 Primary elections
* 4.2.1 Republican primary contest
* 4.2.2 Democratic primary contest
* 4.3 North Carolina
* 4.4 General election
* 4.5 Primary elections
* 4.5.1 Democratic primary election
* 4.5.2 Republican primary election
* 4.6 Oregon
* 4.7 General election
* 4.8 Primary results
* 4.8.1 Democratic primary contest
* 4.8.2 Republican primary contest
* 4.8.3 Independent Party of Oregon primary contest
* 4.9 Vermont
* 4.10 General election
* 4.11 Primary elections
* 4.11.1 Democratic primary election
* 4.12 Washington
* 4.13 General election
* 4.14 Primary election
* 4.15 West Virginia
* 4.16 Defeated in the primary contests
* 4.17 General election
* 4.18 Primary elections
* 4.18.1 Democratic primary election
* 4.18.2 Republican primary election
* 5 About the office
* 6 Elected or appointed
* 7 Term limits
* 7.1 States with Secretary of State term limits
* 8 Past elections
* 8.1 2015
* 9 Recent news
* 9.1 Voter turnout
* 9.2 See also
* 9.3 External links
* 9.4 Footnotes

## Partisan analysis[edit]

2016 Secretary of State elections

Party  | As of November 8, 2016  | After the 2016 Election
| Democratic Party | 20 | 17
| Republican Party | 27 | 30
| Independent  | 0 | 0
Total |  47 |  47

The partisan breakdown of secretaries of state remained largely unchanged after the 2014 elections, with Democrats gaining one seat previously held by a Republican. Heading into the 2016 elections, Democrats held 20 secretary of state seats and Republicans held 27 seats. Of the eight seats up for election in 2016, six were held by Democrats. This meant Democrats held 75 percent of the offices up for election despite only holding 45 percent across the country. This created a partisan risk in that a disproportionate number of seats held by Democrats were being challenged compared to the actual partisan balance, meaning that Democrats entered the November 2016 elections in a position of greater relative risk than Republicans.

Five of the eight secretary of state seats up for election in 2016 changed hands, with a net gain of three seats for Republicans. The GOP picked up seats in open elections in Missouri, Montana, and Oregon, and unseated the incumbent Democrat in West Virginia. The win in Oregon was a significant victory for the party as the state was under Democratic trifecta control before the election and the seat had not been held by a Republican since 1980.

Democrats picked up the open seat in New Mexico, which held a special election after the mid-term resignation of incumbent Dianna Duran (R) due to criminal charges. At the time her election in 2010, Duran was the first Republican to win the seat in New Mexico since 1930.

### Influence of voter turnout[edit]

Secretary of state elections across the country coincided with what was a highly competitive presidential election, which increased voter turnout down the ballot.[1] This increased turnout during presidential election years can affect the partisan balance of state governments. In particular, offices elected during mid-presidential term elections disadvantage the party of the current president, a trend that has remained relatively constant since the Civil War. Presidential election years see aggregate gains for the party of the winning presidential candidate.[2][1]

Twenty-six states held secretary of state elections in 2014, equal to 74 percent of the 35 states in which it is an elected position. That same year, voter turnout was the lowest recorded since 1942.[3] Indeed, voter turnout has dropped during mid-presidential term elections since the 1840s.[2] This means a large majority of publicly elected secretaries of state are elected during these midterm cycles that see significantly lower turnout.

## 2016 elections[edit]

Eight states held secretary of state elections in 2016. Browse candidates, key deadlines, and results by state:

### Missouri[edit]

Missouri held a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2016.

Robin Smith (D)
Retired news anchor

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Jay Ashcroft (R)
Private practice attorney

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Chris Morrill (Lib.)
Insurance and financial services professional

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Click [show] to see candidates that were defeated in the primary elections.|

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### Prominent candidates

Ballotpedia uses a variety of standards to determine which candidates will feature prominently in a given race.

MD Rabbi Alam (D)
C.E.O., Minority Directed Small Business since 2007

* * *

Will Kraus (R)
State Sen. since 2011

* * *

### Other candidates

Roi Chinn (R) \- businessman
Bill Clinton Young (D) \- 2012 candidate for the Missouri House of Representatives

### General election results[edit]

Jay Ashcroft defeated Robin Smith and Chris Morrill in the Missouri secretary of state election.

Missouri Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  |  Jay Ashcroft | 57.62% | 1,591,086
| Democratic  | Robin Smith | 38.45% | 1,061,788
| Libertarian  | Chris Morrill | 3.93% | 108,568
Total Votes | 2,761,442
Source: Missouri Secretary of State

### Primary election results[edit]

#### Democratic primary election[edit]

Robin Smith  defeated Bill Clinton Young and MD Rabbi Alam in the Missouri Democratic primary for secretary of state.

Missouri Democratic primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Robin Smith | 77.28% | 241,736
Bill Clinton Young | 16.06% | 50,228
MD Rabbi Alam | 6.66% | 20,836
Total Votes (3214 of 3214 precincts reporting) | 312,800
Source: Missouri Secretary of State

#### Republican primary election[edit]

Jay Ashcroft defeated Will Kraus and Roi Chinn in the Missouri Republican primary for secretary of state.

Missouri Republican primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Jay Ashcroft | 61.33% | 401,361
Will Kraus | 34.60% | 226,473
Roi Chinn | 4.07% | 26,638
Total Votes (3214 of 3214 precincts reporting) | 654,472
Source: Missouri Secretary of State

#### Libertarian primary election[edit]

Chris Morrill ran unopposed in the Missouri Libertarian primary for secretary of state.

Missouri Libertarian primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Chris Morrill (unopposed) | 100.00% | 3,491
Total Votes (3214 of 3214 precincts reporting) | 3,491
Source: Missouri Secretary of State

* * *

### Montana[edit]

Montana held a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2016.

Monica Lindeen (D)
Incumbent state auditor since 2009

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Corey Stapleton (R)
Nonprofit president, former state senator

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Roger Roots (Lib.)
Assistant professor, Jarvis Christian College since 2012

* * *

## Results[edit]

### General election[edit]

Corey Stapleton defeated Monica Lindeen and Roger Roots in the Montana secretary of state election.

Montana Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  |  Corey Stapleton | 55.49% | 277,473
| Democratic  | Monica Lindeen | 40.97% | 204,861
| Libertarian  | Roger Roots | 3.54% | 17,687
Total Votes | 500,021
Source: Montana Secretary of State

### Primary elections[edit]

#### Republican primary contest[edit]

Corey Stapleton ran unopposed in the Montana Republican primary for secretary of state.

Montana Republican primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Corey Stapleton (unopposed) | 100.00% | 137,252
Total Votes (686 of 686 precincts reporting) | 137,252
Source: Montana Secretary of State

#### Democratic primary contest[edit]

Monica Lindeen ran unopposed in the Montana Democratic primary for secretary of state.

Montana Democratic primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Monica Lindeen (unopposed) | 100.00% | 111,525
Total Votes (686 of 686 precincts reporting) | 111,525
Source: Montana Secretary of State

#### Libertarian primary contest[edit]

Roger Roots ran unopposed in the Montana Libertarian primary for secretary of state.

Montana Libertarian primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate
Roger Roots
Source: Montana Secretary of State

* * *

### New Mexico[edit]

New Mexico held a special election for secretary of state in 2016 following the mid-term resignation of Secretary of State Dianna Duran (R). Duran resigned in October 2015 following criminal charges.

Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D)
Bernalillo County clerk since 2007

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Nora Espinoza (R)
State representative since 2007

* * *

## Results[edit]

### General election[edit]

Maggie Toulouse Oliver defeated Nora Espinoza in the New Mexico secretary of state election.

New Mexico Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  |  Maggie Toulouse Oliver | 56.59% | 423,938
| Republican  | Nora Espinoza | 43.41% | 325,231
Total Votes | 749,169
Source: New Mexico Secretary of State

### Primary elections[edit]

#### Republican primary contest[edit]

Nora Espinoza ran unopposed in the New Mexico Republican primary for secretary of state.

New Mexico Republican primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Nora Espinoza (unopposed) | 100.00% | 83,759
Total Votes (1492 of 1492 precincts reporting) | 83,759
Source: New Mexico Secretary of State

#### Democratic primary contest[edit]

Maggie Toulouse Oliver ran unopposed in the New Mexico Democratic primary for secretary of state.

New Mexico Democratic primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Maggie Toulouse Oliver (unopposed) | 100.00% | 172,837
Total Votes (1492 of 1492 precincts reporting) | 172,837
Source: New Mexico Secretary of State

* * *

### North Carolina[edit]

North Carolina held a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2016.

Elaine Marshall (D)
Incumbent secretary of state since 1996

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Michael LaPaglia (R)
Consultant

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Click [show] to view candidates who were defeated in the primary elections.|

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AJ Daoud (R) - Businessman and 2012 candidate[4]

### General election[edit]

Incumbent Elaine Marshall defeated Michael LaPaglia in the North Carolina secretary of state election.

North Carolina Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  |  Elaine Marshall Incumbent | 52.22% | 2,339,783
| Republican  | Michael LaPaglia | 47.78% | 2,141,132
Total Votes | 4,480,915
Source: ABC11

### Primary elections[edit]

#### Democratic primary election[edit]

Elaine Marshall (D) was the only Democrat to file for the election; she automatically advanced to the general election.

#### Republican primary election[edit]

North Carolina Secretary of State Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Michael LaPaglia | 61.6% | 499,919
A. J. Daoud  | 38.4% | 312,067
Total Votes | 811,986
Election results via North Carolina State Board of Elections.

* * *

### Oregon[edit]

Oregon held a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2016.

Brad Avakian (D/Working Families/Prog.)
Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries since 2008

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Dennis Richardson (R)
State Rep., 2002-2015

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Paul Damian Wells (IPO)
CNC machinist

* * *

Sharon Durbin (Lib.)
Retired attorney

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Michael P. Marsh (CP)
Lin County Constitution Party chair

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Alan Zundel (Pacific Green Party of Oregon)
Counselor, retired public policy professor

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Click [show] to view candidates who were defeated in the primary elections.|

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Richard Devlin (D)
State Sen. since 2002

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Val Hoyle (D)
State Rep. since 2009

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Sid Leiken (R)
Lane County Commissioner since 2010

* * *

### General election[edit]

The following candidates ran in the Oregon secretary of state election.[5]

Oregon Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  |  Dennis Richardson | 47.44% | 892,669
| Democratic/Progressive/Working Families  | Brad Avakian | 43.27% | 814,089
| Independent Party of Oregon  | Paul Damian Wells | 3.45% | 64,956
| Pacific Green Party of Oregon  | Alan Zundel | 2.53% | 47,576
| Libertarian  | Sharon Durbin | 2.50% | 46,975
| Constitution Party  | Michael P. Marsh | 0.81% | 15,269
Total Votes | 1,881,534
Source: Oregon Secretary of State

### Primary results[edit]

#### Democratic primary contest[edit]

Brad Avakian defeated Val Hoyle and Richard Devlin in the Democratic primary for secretary of state.

Democratic primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Brad Avakian | 39.06% | 168,041
Val Hoyle | 33.81% | 145,444
Richard Devlin | 26.35% | 113,335
Write-in votes | 0.78% | 3,362
Total Votes | 430,182
Source: http://oregonvotes.gov/results/2016P/71227554.html

#### Republican primary contest[edit]

Dennis Richardson defeated Sid Leiken in the Republican primary for secretary of state.

Republican primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Dennis Richardson | 77.93% | 229,325
Sid Leiken | 21.49% | 63,247
Write-in votes | 0.58% | 1,715
Total Votes | 294,287
Source: http://oregonvotes.gov/results/2016P/1521964421.html

#### Independent Party of Oregon primary contest[edit]

Paul Damian Wells ran unopposed in the Independent Party of Oregon primary for secretary of state.

Independent Party of Oregon primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Paul Damian Wells (unopposed) | 66.24% | 14,553
Write-in votes | 33.76% | 7,417
Total Votes | 21,970
Source: http://oregonvotes.gov/results/2016P/1521964421.html

* * *

### Vermont[edit]

Vermont held a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2016.

Jim Condos (D)
Secretary of state since 2011

* * *

Mary Alice Herbert (Liberty Union Party)
Retired public school teacher

* * *

### General election[edit]

Incumbent Jim Condos defeated Mary Alice Herbert in the Vermont secretary of state election.

Vermont Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  |  Jim Condos Incumbent | 89.57% | 255,201
| Liberty Union Party  | Mary Alice Herbert | 10.43% | 29,711
Total Votes | 284,912
Source: Vermont Secretary of State

### Primary elections[edit]

#### Democratic primary election[edit]

Incumbent Jim Condos ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for secretary of state.

Democratic primary for secretary of state, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Jim Condos Incumbent (unopposed) | 81.76% | 59,818
Write-in votes | 18.24% | 13,344
Total Votes (275 of 275 Precincts Reporting) | 73,162
Source: Vermont Secretary of State

* * *

### Washington[edit]

Washington held a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2016.

Tina Podlodowski (D)
Most recent position: Technology and nonprofit executive
Past experience: Seattle city councilmember, 1995-2000

Kim Wyman (R)
Most recent position: Secretary of state since 2013
Past experience: Thurston County auditor, 2001-2012

| Click [show] to view candidates who were defeated in the primary election|

|

Tim Turner (Lib.)
Most recent position: Software engineer
Past experience: High school teacher, U.S. Navy

Note: Washington utilizes a mail-in ballot system. Results were not finalized until 14 days after the primary election.[6]

### General election[edit]

Incumbent Kim Wyman defeated Tina Podlodowski in the Washington secretary of state election.

Washington Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  |  Kim Wyman Incumbent | 54.74% | 1,713,004
| Democratic  | Tina Podlodowski | 45.26% | 1,416,299
Total Votes | 3,129,303
Source: Washington Secretary of State

### Primary election[edit]

Incumbent Kim Wyman and Tina Podlodowski defeated Tim Turner in the Washington primary for secretary of state.

Washington primary for secretary of state, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  |  Kim Wyman Incumbent | 47.90% | 645,614
| Democratic  |  Tina Podlodowski | 46.13% | 621,732
| Libertarian  | Tim Turner | 5.98% | 80,570
Total Votes | 1,347,916
Source: Washington Secretary of State

* * *

### West Virginia[edit]

West Virginia held a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2016.

Natalie Tennant (D)
Incumbent secretary of state since 2009

* * *

Mac Warner (R)
Former Department of Defense attorney

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John Buckley (Lib.)
Attorney, law clerk

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Click [show] to view candidates who were defeated in the primary elections.|

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### Defeated in the primary contests

Patsy Trecost (D)
State rep. since 2015

* * *

Barry Holstein (R)
Manufacturing operations manager

* * *

### General election[edit]

Mac Warner defeated incumbent Natalie Tennant and John Buckley in the West Virginia secretary of state election.

West Virginia Secretary of State, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  |  Mac Warner | 48.52% | 335,526
| Democratic  | Natalie Tennant Incumbent | 46.82% | 323,750
| Libertarian  | John Buckley | 4.65% | 32,179
Total Votes | 691,455
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

### Primary elections[edit]

#### Democratic primary election[edit]

Incumbent Natalie Tennant defeated Patsy Trecost II in the Democratic primary for secretary of state.

Democratic primary for Secretary of State, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Natalie Tennant Incumbent | 77.18% | 192,176
Patsy Trecost II | 22.82% | 56,832
Total Votes (1,745 of 1,745 precincts reporting) | 249,008
Source: MetroNews

#### Republican primary election[edit]

Mac Warner defeated Barry Holstein in the Republican primary for secretary of state.

Republican primary for Secretary of State, 2016

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mac Warner | 63.33% | 105,800
Barry Holstein | 36.67% | 61,271
Total Votes (1,745 of 1,745 precincts reporting) | 167,071
Source: MetroNews

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## About the office[edit]

The secretary of state is a state-level position in 47 of the 50 states.[7] The voters directly elect the secretary of state in 35 states. In the other 12, the secretary is appointed by either the governor or the state legislature.

The duties of the position are generally administrative in nature and no two states have identical responsibilities delegated to the secretary of state. Many are tasked with keeping state records, from registering businesses to recording the official acts of the governor. The officeholder also often serves as the chief election official in their state, administering state elections and maintaining official election results.

Quick facts about Secretaries of State

* Twenty-six states held secretary of state elections in the 2014 electoral cycle.
* In 2013 the annual salaries for secretaries of state ranged from $54,305 (Arkansas) to $190,260 (Tennessee).[8]

A state's chief election official, usually either the secretary of state or the attorney general, sometimes makes such important decisions as the language on ballot measures, which are permitted in about half of all the states. Ballot measures are questions put before voters during a local or statewide election. They often touch on hot button issues and can result in a constitutional amendment or the passage of a new law. Examples of measures on the ballot in 2016 include decisions about marijuana, healthcare and gun control.

The wording of a ballot measure can significantly influence whether or not the measure passes. Moreover, if the measure passes and is later challenged in court, the language can often determine whether it is held up or struck down by the judiciary system.[9]

# Elected or appointed[edit]

35 states directly elect secretaries of state. Others are appointed by either the governor or state legislature.

In 35 states, the position is popularly elected. The remaining 12 offices are filled by appointment: nine by the governor and three by the state legislature.

States in which secretaries are appointed by the governor include:

* Delaware • Florida • Maryland • New Jersey • New York • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Texas • Virginia

States in which secretaries are appointed by the state legislature include:

* Maine • New Hampshire • Tennessee

Quick facts about Secretaries of State

* Twenty-six states held secretary of state elections in the 2014 electoral cycle.
* In 2013 the annual salaries for secretaries of state ranged from $54,305 (Arkansas) to $190,260 (Tennessee).[10]

# Term limits[edit]

## States with Secretary of State term limits[edit]

Color Key

No term limits  | 2 consecutive term limit  | No successive terms
8 out of 12 years  | 4 two year terms  | 8 out of 16 years  | 2 terms followed by 1 term out of office
Name of state  | Limits in effect  | Year limits imposed  | Year limits took effect

|
|
|

Alabama Secretary of State | no successive term  |  |
Arizona Secretary of State | 2 consecutive terms  | 1992  | 1993
Arkansas Secretary of State | 2 terms  | 1992  | 1993
California Secretary of State | 2 consecutive terms  | 1990  |
Colorado Secretary of State | 2 consecutive terms  | 1990  | 1991
Connecticut Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Delaware Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Florida Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Georgia Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Idaho Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Illinois Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Indiana Secretary of State | 8 out of 12 years  | 1970  | 1971
Iowa Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Kansas Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Kentucky Secretary of State | 2 consecutive terms  | 1992  | 1993
Louisiana Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Maine Secretary of State | 4 2-year terms.  |  |
Maryland Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Massachusetts Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Michigan Secretary of State | 2 consecutive terms  | 1992  | 1993
Minnesota Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Mississippi Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Missouri Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Montana Secretary of State | 8 out of 16 years  | 1992  | 1993
Nebraska Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Nevada Secretary of State | 2 terms  |  |
New Hampshire Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
New Jersey Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
New Mexico Secretary of State | 2 terms followed by
1 full term out of office  | 1986  | 1990
New York Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
North Carolina Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
North Dakota Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Ohio Secretary of State | 2 consecutive terms  | 1992  | 1995
Oklahoma Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Oregon Secretary of State | 8 out of 12 years  | 1857  | 1859
Pennsylvania Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Rhode Island Secretary of State | 2 terms followed by
1 full term out of office  |  |
South Carolina Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
South Dakota Secretary of State | 2 terms followed by
1 full term out of office  | 1992  | 1992
Tennessee Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Texas Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Vermont Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Virginia Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Washington Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
West Virginia Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Wisconsin Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |
Wyoming Secretary of State | no term limits  |  |

[11]

# Past elections[edit]

### 2015[edit]

See also: State executive official elections, 2015

Three states held elections for secretary of state in 2015: Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi.

To view the full electoral history for secretaries of state, click [show] to expand the full section.

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2014

Main article: State executive official elections, 2014

Twenty-six states held regularly scheduled secretary of state elections in the 2014 electoral cycle:

* Alabama
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Georgia
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Mexico
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Vermont
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

2013
There were no elections for secretaries of state in 2013.

2012

Main article: State executive official elections, 2012

Seven states held secretary of state elections in the 2012 electoral cycle: Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

Heading into the November election, Democrats held six of the seats and the Republicans held one. Five incumbents sought re-election, and two - Robin Carnahan (MO) and lone Republican secretary Sam Reed (WA) - retired from office at the end of their terms. Incumbent Vermont secretary Jim Condos (D) was unopposed for re-election, and Montana secretary Linda McCulloch (D) won a re-election challenge against her predecessor, Republican Brad Johnson, whom she unseated in the 2008 general election by a slim margin of victory.

Following the 2012 elections, there were 27 Republican and 18 Democratic secretaries of state in office.

2011

Main article: Secretary of State elections, 2011

Three states, Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi, held secretary of state elections in the 2011 electoral cycle.

See also: Kentucky secretary of state election, 2011

The Kentucky Secretary of State election of 2011 was held on November 8, 2011 following a primary election on May 17, 2011. Democratic attorney Alison Lundergan Grimes defeated Todd County businessman and teacher Bill Johnson.

The Louisiana Secretary of State election of 2011 was decided on October 22, 2011 in the primary election. Incumbent Republican Tom Schedler captured more than 50 percent of the vote in the blanket primary, winning re-election outright. The Louisiana general election was held on Saturday, November 19, 2011, but the office of secretary of state did not appear on the ballot.[12]

The Mississippi Secretary of State election of 2011 was held on November 8, 2011, following a primary election on August 2nd, 2011. Incumbent Delbert Hosemann was unopposed; he was slated to face Reform Party candidate John Luke Pannell, but Pannell's name did not appear on the ballot.

2010

Main article: Secretary of State elections, 2010

Twenty-six secretary of state elections were scheduled for November 2, 2010. Of the 26 seats that were up for election, 15 had been held by a Democrat and 11 by a Republican. In total, Democrats lost six seats.

# Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Secretary of state election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Secretary of State elections, 2016 - Google News

## Voter turnout[edit]

Political scientist Michael McDonald's United States Elections Project studied voter turnout in the 2014 election by looking at the percentage of eligible voters who headed to the polls. McDonald used voting-eligible population (VEP), or the number of eligible voters independent of their current registration status, to calculate turnout rates in each state on November 4. He also incorporated ballots cast for the highest office in each state into his calculation. He estimated that 81,687,059 ballots were cast in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, representing 35.9 percent of the VEP.[13] By comparison, 61.6 percent of VEP voted in the 2008 presidential election and 58.2 percent of VEP voted in the 2012 presidential election.[14]

Quick facts

* According to PBS Newshour, voter turnout in the 2014 midterms was the lowest since the 1942 midterms, which took place during the nation's involvement in World War II.[15]

* Forty-three states and the District of Columbia did not surpass 50 percent turnout in McDonald's analysis.

* The three states with the lowest turnout according to McDonald's analysis were Texas (28.3 percent), Tennessee (28.6 percent), and Indiana (28.8 percent).

* Maine (58.5 percent), Wisconsin (56.5 percent), and Colorado (54.5 percent) were the three states with the highest turnout.

* Twelve states increased voter turnout in 2014 compared to the 2010 midterm elections.[16]

Voter turnout rates, 2014

State  | Total votes counted  | % voter eligible population  | Top statewide office up for election  | Size of lead (Raw votes)  | Size of lead (%)
Alabama | 1,191,274 | 33.2 | Governor | 320,319 | 27.2
Alaska | 285,431 | 54.4 | Governor | 4,004 | 1.6
Arizona | 1,537,671 | 34.1 | Governor | 143,951 | 12.5
Arkansas | 852,642 | 40.1 | Governor | 118,664 | 14.0
California | 7,513,972 | 30.8 | Governor | 1,065,748 | 17.8
Colorado | 2,080,071 | 54.5 | Governor | 50,395 | 2.4
Connecticut | 1,096,509 | 42.5 | Governor | 26,603 | 2.5
Delaware | 234,038 | 34.4 | Attorney General | 31,155 | 13.6
District of Columbia | 177,176 | 35.8 | Mayor | 27,934 | 19.0
Florida | 6,026,802 | 43.3 | Governor | 66,127 | 1.1
Georgia | 2,596,947 | 38.5 | Governor | 202,685 | 8.0
Hawaii | 369,554 | 36.5 | Governor | 45,323 | 12.4
Idaho | 445,307 | 39.6 | Governor | 65,852 | 14.9
Illinois | 3,680,417 | 40.9 | Governor | 171,900 | 4.9
Indiana | 1,387,622 | 28.8 | Secretary of State | 234,978 | 17.8
Iowa | 1,142,284 | 50.2 | Governor | 245,548 | 21.8
Kansas | 887,023 | 43.4 | Governor | 33,052 | 3.9
Kentucky | 1,435,868 | 44.0 | U.S. Senate | 222,096 | 15.5
Louisiana | 1,472,039 | 43.8 | U.S. Senate | 16,401 | 1.1
Maine | 616,996 | 58.5 | Governor | 29,820 | 4.9
Maryland | 1,733,177 | 41.5 | Governor | 88,648 | 6.1
Massachusetts | 2,186,789 | 44.6 | Governor | 40,361 | 1.9
Michigan | 3,188,956 | 43.2 | Governor | 129,547 | 4.3
Minnesota | 1,992,613 | 50.5 | Governor | 109,776 | 5.6
Mississippi | 631,858 | 28.9 | U.S. Senate | 141,234 | 33.0
Missouri | 1,426,303 | 31.8 | Auditor | 684,074 | 53.6
Montana | 373,831 | 47.3 | U.S. Senate | 65,262 | 17.9
Nebraska | 552,115 | 41.5 | Governor | 97,678 | 18.7
Nevada | 547,349 | 29.0 | Governor | 255,793 | 46.7
New Hampshire | 495,565 | 48.4 | Governor | 24,924 | 5.2
New Jersey | 1,955,042 | 32.5 | N/A | N/A | N/A
New Mexico | 512,805 | 35.7 | Governor | 73,868 | 14.6
New York | 3,930,310 | 29.0 | Governor | 476,252 | 13.4
North Carolina | 2,939,767 | 41.2 | U.S. Senate | 48,511 | 1.7
North Dakota | 255,128 | 45.0 | U.S. House At-large seat | 42,214 | 17.1
Ohio | 3,149,876 | 36.2 | Governor | 933,235 | 30.9
Oklahoma | 824,831 | 29.8 | Governor | 122,060 | 14.7
Oregon | 1,541,782 | 53.5 | Governor | 59,029 | 4.5
Pennsylvania | 3,495,866 | 36.0 | Governor | 339,261 | 9.8
Rhode Island | 329,212 | 42.2 | Governor | 14,346 | 4.5
South Carolina | 1,261,611 | 35.2 | Governor | 179,089 | 14.6
South Dakota | 282,291 | 44.9 | Governor | 124,865 | 45.1
Tennessee | 1,374,065 | 28.6 | Governor | 642,214 | 47.5
Texas | 4,727,208 | 28.3 | Governor | 957,973 | 20.4
Utah | 577,973 | 30.2 | Attorney General | 173,819 | 35.2
Vermont | 193,087 | 38.8 | Governor | 2,095 | 1.1
Virginia | 2,194,346 | 36.6 | U.S. Senate | 16,727 | 0.8
Washington | 2,123,901 | 43.1 | N/A | N/A | N/A
West Virginia | 451,498 | 31.2 | U.S. Senate | 124,667 | 27.6
Wisconsin | 2,410,314 | 56.5 | Governor | 137,607 | 5.7
Wyoming | 168,390 | 39.3 | Governor | 52,703 | 33.6

Note: Information from the United States Elections Project was last updated on December 16, 2014.

## See also[edit]

State government:

* Secretaries of State

* State Executive Offices

* State Executive Officials

Previous elections:

* State executive official elections, 2014

* State executive official elections, 2015

* State executive official elections, 2016

Ballotpedia exclusives:

* State of the state addresses

* State Executives Compensation

|
|

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* National Association of Secretaries of State

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Campbell, J. E. (1987) "The revised theory of surge and decline." American Journal of Political Science, 965-979.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pew Research Center, “Voter turnout always drops off for midterm elections, but why?” July 24, 2014
3. ↑ TIME, "Voter Turnout in Midterm Elections Hits 72-Year Low," November 10, 2014
4. ↑ Ballotpedia, "AJ Daoud," accessed December 22, 2015
5. ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes," accessed May 25, 2017
6. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions on Voting by Mail," accessed August 2, 2016
7. ↑ The position does not exist in Alaska, Hawaii and Utah. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, the office is called the secretary of the commonwealth and differs only in name.
8. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," February 18, 2014
9. ↑ Governing, "Fate of Ballot Measures Often Depends on the Wording," March 9, 2012
10. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," February 18, 2014
11. ↑ [1] (dead link) "Executive branch term limits from U.S. Term Limits"
12. ↑ The Green Papers, "2010 Gubernatorial Primaries at a Glance"
13. ↑ United States Elections Project, "2014 November General Election Turnout Rates," November 7, 2014
14. ↑ TIME, "Voter Turnout in Midterm Elections Hits 72-Year Low," November 10, 2014
15. ↑ PBS, "2014 midterm election turnout lowest in 70 years," November 10, 2014
16. ↑ U.S. News & World Report, "Midterm Turnout Down in 2014," November 5, 2014

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