Duties of the Office of Secretary of State
The Secretary of State serves as the Chief Elections Officer of West Virginia and oversees the election process throughout the state along with the recording of official campaign financial records and candidate filings. The Secretary of State is a member of the State Election Commission, the Board of Public Works, and the State Armory Board.
The Secretary of State authorizes and issues licenses to private detectives, investigators, and security agencies. The Secretary is the official administrator of the Uniform Commercial Code, the official administrator of the Farm Lien Program and is responsible for the administration of the “Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act.” The Secretary of State acts as the statutory attorney-in-fact for service of process for corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships for state agencies.
The Secretary of State is the keeper of the executive journal, an official record of state government, maintaining records of all the official actions of the Governor.
The Secretary of State’s Office registers corporations and limited liability companies, both profit and nonprofit, issuing certificates of incorporation for the creation of all domestic corporations and certificates of authority to foreign corporations to transact business in West Virginia. The Secretary of State’s Office also registers limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, voluntary associations, business trusts, credit service organizations, athlete agents, marriage celebrants, notaries public and commissioners.
The Secretary of State’s Office houses the Code of State Rules and maintains filing of all rules, grievance decisions, ethics opinions, meeting notices, and also maintains a record of all enrolled bills originated and passed in the Legislature. The Secretary of State is the keeper of the seals of the State.
Mission Statement
Our Mission
The mission of the Office of Secretary of State is to enhance commerce, ensure integrity of the electoral process, and to preserve certain historical documents essential to our State while providing prompt quality service to the businesses, voters, and citizens of West Virginia.
Vision
To effectively and efficiently connect state government to the citizens of West Virginia.
Values
All members of the Office of the Secretary of State have a role in making government responsive to the needs of the people. Together, we embrace the values of respect, honor, integrity, and personal commitment to public service.
Each and every employee is dedicated to continual improvement, professional competency, and honorable service.
Objectives
The West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office will become and remain a role model for all other entities within our state government. We will draw upon the talents, leadership, and resources of our employees while being mindful that tasks must be successfully completed to earn and maintain the public’s trust and confidence.
The West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office works as a team in all that we do to:
- Provide transparency at every level of government;
- Enhance commerce and economic development by providing accurate and reliable online registration processes for the state’s business sector;
- Work with other state and federal agencies to reduce costly duplication in order to create more efficient business-friendly processes;
- Provide sound and reasoned legal counsel and recommendations to the Legislature;
- Establish a stable and open government by providing reliable access to all public information;
- Account for every expenditure and every financial transaction while working together to realize cost savings wherever and whenever possible;
- Securely and accurately document and preserve the history of our state;
- Protect and enhance our democracy by working with local officials to provide fair and accurate elections, as well as an inclusive political process; and
- Advance the goals and objectives of our state government as set forth by our Legislature that represents the people of the Great State of West Virginia.
- Every member of our staff plays an important role in the overall success of our Office.
"Working together, we will be a leader in providing prompt, reliable, and accurate services to the public we serve."
