Secretary of State of Kansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Secretary of state of the State of Kansas
Seal of the secretary of state of Kansas
Incumbent Scott Schwab since January 14, 2019
Inaugural holder	John Winter Robinson
Formation	February 1861

The Secretary of State of Kansas is an important official in the U.S. state of Kansas. This person helps make sure elections run smoothly, businesses are properly registered, and important state documents are published. The current Secretary of State is Scott Schwab, who started his job on January 14, 2019. He used to be a leader in the Kansas House of Representatives.

A Look Back: History of the Office

The very first Secretary of State for Kansas was John Winter Robinson. He was a doctor from Maine who moved to Manhattan, Kansas, in 1857. Robinson was chosen in December 1859, even before Kansas officially became a state. He was sworn into office after Kansas joined the Union in February 1861.

In 1862, Robinson faced a serious problem with state money. He was removed from his job on June 12, 1862. This made him the first state official in U.S. history to be removed from office in this way. Sanders R. Shepard then took over as Secretary of State on July 28, 1862.

In 2015, Secretary Kris Kobach asked for and received special power. This power allowed him to investigate and bring cases about voter fraud. He was the first and only Secretary of State to have this kind of power.

What Does the Secretary of State Do?

The Secretary of State has several important jobs that help Kansas run smoothly. These duties cover elections, businesses, and state records.

Helping with Elections: Electoral Duties

The Secretary of State is the main officer for all elections in Kansas. This office manages how elections are run and how people register to vote. They also receive reports about how money is used in political campaigns.

The office also registers lobbyists, who are people who try to influence lawmakers. The Secretary of State shares the job of overseeing campaign money and lobbyists with the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. As mentioned, the Secretary of State also has the special power to investigate and bring cases related to voter fraud.

Supporting Businesses: Economic Duties

The Secretary of State's office runs the Business Filing Center. This center helps businesses register in the state. They also register trademarks (symbols or names that represent a company) and trade names (names businesses use). The office also handles liens, which are legal claims on property.

The Secretary of State also oversees many different kinds of businesses. This includes sports agents, trade unions (groups of workers), cemeteries, and funeral homes.

Managing State Records: Administrative Duties

The Secretary's Publications Section is in charge of printing important state documents. These include laws passed by the state and rules made by state agencies. They also publish the Kansas Register, which is like a newspaper for official state information.

Who Has Held the Office?

Many people have served as Secretary of State for Kansas. Here are the lists of those who served during the territorial period and after Kansas became a state.

Territorial Secretaries

State Secretaries

Image	Name	Term	Party
	John Winter Robinson	1861–1862	Republican
	Sanders Rufus Shepherd	1862–1863
	Warren Wirt Henry Lawrence	1863–1865
	Rinaldo Allen Barker	1865–1869
	Thomas Moonlight	1869–1871
	William Hillary Smallwood	1871–1875
	Thomas Horne Cavanaugh	1875–1879
	James Smith	1879–1885
	Edwin Bird Allen	1885–1889
	William Higgins	1889–1893
	Russell Scott Osborn	1893–1895	Populist
	William Corydon Edwards	1895–1897	Republican
	William Eben Bush	1897–1899	Populist
	George Alfred Clark	1899–1903	Republican
	Joel Randall Burrow	1903–1907
	Charles Eugene Denton	1907–1911
	Charles Harrison Sessions	1911–1915
	John Thomas Botkin	1915–1919
	Lewis Julian Pettijohn	1919–1922
	David Owen McCray	1922–1923
	Frank Joseph Ryan	1923–1929
	Edgbert Albert Cornell	1929–1933
	Frank Joseph Ryan	1933–1949
	Larry Ryan	1949–1951	Democratic
	Paul R. Shanahan	1951–1966	Republican
	Elwill M. Shanahan	1966–1978
	Jack Brier	1978–1987
	Bill Graves	1987–1995
	Ron Thornburgh	1995–2010
	Chris Biggs	2010–2011	Democratic
	Kris Kobach	2011–2019	Republican
	Scott Schwab	2019–present

See also

• List of company registers