page_title: Michigan Secretary of State
section_title: Department organization
hierarchical_section_title: Michigan Secretary of State / Department organization
caption_attribution_description: English: Secretary of State office, Glencoe Crossing Shopping Center, 4675 Washtenaw Avenue, Pittsfield Township (Ann Arbor), Michigan. Camera location42°&#160;15′&#160;10.61″&#160;N, 83°&#160;40′&#160;05.04″&#160;W&#160;View this and other nearby images on: OpenStreetMap - Google Earth
context_page_description: The Michigan Department of State is administered by the Secretary of State, who is elected on a partisan ballot for a term of four years in gubernatorial elections.
  The Secretary of State is the third-highest official in the State of Michigan. As the name implies, the officeholder was originally responsible for much of state government, but now the duties are similar to those of the other 46 secretaries of states across the United States. If the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are both absent from the state, or the offices are concurrently vacant for some other reason, the secretary of state serves as acting governor.
  In Michigan, the Secretary of State is not only responsible for elections, but also oversees vehicle registration and the licensing of automobile drivers, similar to a motor vehicles regulator in other states. The officeholder also oversees and regulates notaries public and is the keeper of the Great Seal of Michigan.
  Under state law, the Secretary of State must have at least one office in each of Michigan's 83 counties.
  The current Secretary of State is Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat.
caption: Secretary of State office, Pittsfield Township
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