Delegates representing the Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties will soon decide their party’s nominee for Secretary of State during their state conventions. Then voters will choose from those nominees to elect the next Secretary in the Nov. 3 general election. Indivisible NWI just held a forum to hear from the two candidates running for the Democratic Party nomination, Blythe Potter and Beau Bayh. Just what does the Secretary of State in Indiana do?
The Secretary of State for Indiana is one of five statewide, elected constitutional officers created by Indiana’s Constitution.
Duties
The Secretary of State
- Is responsible for the maintenance of state records and preservation of the state seal.
- Charters new businesses,
- Regulates the securities industry within Indiana
- Runs state elections and
- Provides a number of services to the state’s automobile dealers.
- Provides a variety of educational materials, from guides instructing entrepreneurs how to start a new business to voter and candidate registration information.[6]
Divisions
The Office of the Secretary of State has four divisions:
- Election Division – responsible for overseeing elections, registering candidates, and monitoring campaign finance.
- Business Services Division – charters corporations, registers trademarks, notaries public, and liens under the Uniform Commercial Code, and issues apostilles.
- Securities Division – oversees the state’s securities industry, as well as mortgage brokers, retirement facilities, and collection agencies. It is also responsible for administering state and federal securities laws.
- Dealer Services Division – responsible for the oversight and regulation of motor vehicle dealerships, including dealers for automobiles, watercraft, off-road vehicles and automobile salvage.[7]
https://ballotpedia.org/Indiana_Secretary_of_State
Party candidates for Secretary of State are not selected by primary voters.
In Indiana, some offices are filled through party conventions rather than primary elections. Political parties nominate candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, comptroller, treasurer, and attorney general at their state conventions. The Libertarian state convention is on March 22, 2026. The Democratic state convention is on June 6, 2026. The Republican state convention is on June 20, 2026.
Then voters will decide in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026 who the next Secretary of State will be.
https://ballotpedia.org/Indiana_Secretary_of_State_election,_2026
