List of female state secretaries of state in the United States

The following is a list of female secretaries of state of states and territories in the United States.

Besides those states which do not have separate offices for secretary of state, the states of Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota and South Carolina have never had an appointed nor elected female secretary of state.

List of female state secretaries of state

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Officeholder State Party Assumed office Term expires
Soledad C. Chacon New Mexico Democratic 1923 1926
Emma Guy Cromwell Kentucky Democratic 1924 1928
Fannie S. Herrington Delaware Republican 1925 1926
Florence E. S. Knapp New York Republican January 1, 1925 December 31, 1927
Gladys Pyle South Dakota Republican 1927 1931
Jennie Fortune New Mexico Democratic 1927 1928
Ella Lewis Kentucky Democratic 1928 1932
E. A. Perrault New Mexico Republican 1929 1930
Alice Lee Grosjean Louisiana Democratic 1930 1932
Elizabeth Coyne South Dakota Republican 1931 1933
Marguerite P. Baca New Mexico Democratic 1931 1934
Sara W. Mahan Kentucky Democratic 1932 1936
Myrtle Morrison South Dakota Democratic 1933 1937
Ola Babcock Miller Iowa Democratic 1933 1937
Elizabeth F. Gonzales New Mexico Democratic 1935 1938
Goldie Wells South Dakota Democratic 1937 1939
Belle Reeves Washington Democratic 1938 1948
Sara Crawford Connecticut Republican 1939 1941
Jessie M. Gonzales New Mexico Democratic 1939 1942
Olive A. Ringsrud South Dakota Republican 1939 1943
Sophia O'Hara Pennsylvania Republican 1939 1943
Chase G. Woodhouse Connecticut Democratic 1941 1943
Frances B. Redick Connecticut Republican 1943 1945
Cecilia T. Cleveland New Mexico Democratic 1943 1946
Mrs. L. M. Larsen South Dakota Republican 1943 1947
Mary Hart Carr Tennessee Democratic 1944 1945
Sibyl Pool Alabama Democratic 1944 1951
Katherine Manton Oklahoma Democratic 1946 1947
Helen E. Burbank Vermont Republican 1947 1949
Frances B. Redick Connecticut Republican 1947 1949
Alicia Valdez Romero New Mexico Democratic 1947 1950
Annamae Riff South Dakota Republican 1947 1951
Thelma Y. Gordon Virginia Democratic 1948 1952
Winifred McDonald Connecticut Democratic 1949 1951
Vivian V. Simpson Maryland Democratic 1949 1951
Alice K. Leopold Connecticut Republican 1951 1953
Beatrice Roach Gottlieb New Mexico Democratic 1951 1954
Agnes Baggett Alabama Democratic 1951 1955
Geraldine Ostroot South Dakota Republican 1951 1957
Virginia Paul Holm Minnesota Republican 1952 1925
Martha Bell Conway Virginia Democratic 1952 1970
Glenn M. Wise Wisconsin Republican 1955 1957
Natalie Smith Buck New Mexico Democratic 1955 1958
Mary Texas Hurt Garner Alabama Democratic 1955 1959
Mildred P. Allen Connecticut Republican 1955 1959
Thelma Stovall Kentucky Democratic 1956 1960
Helen F. Holt West Virginia Republican 1957 1958
Clara Halls South Dakota Republican 1957 1959
Selma Sandless South Dakota Democratic 1959 1961
Betty Fiorina New Mexico Democratic 1959 1962
Bettye Frink Alabama Democratic 1959 1963
Caroline K. Simon New York Republican January 1, 1959 August 22, 1963
Ella T. Grasso Connecticut Democratic 1959 1971
Nancy Hall Arkansas Democratic 1961 1963
Essie Wiedenman South Dakota Republican 1961 1965
Alberta Miller New Mexico Democratic 1963 1966
Agnes Baggett Alabama Democratic 1963 1967
Thyra Thomson Wyoming Republican January 1963 January 1987
Thelma Stovall Kentucky Democratic 1964 1968
Alma Larson South Dakota Republican 1965 1973
Elwill M. Shanahan Kansas Republican 1966 1978
Ernestine Durán Evans New Mexico Democratic 1967 1970
Mabel Sanders Amos Alabama Democratic 1967 1975
Leila Feltner Begley Kentucky Republican 1970 1971
Cynthia Newman Virginia Republican 1970 1974
Betty Fiorina New Mexico Democratic 1971 1974
C. Delores Tucker Pennsylvania Democratic 1971 1977
Gloria Schaffer Connecticut Democratic 1971 1978
Thelma Stovall Kentucky Democratic 1972 1976
Lorna B. Herseth South Dakota Democratic 1973 1979
Dorothy Glisson Florida Democratic 1974 1975
Patricia R. Perkinson Virginia Republican 1974 1978
Mary Estill Buchanan Colorado Republican 1974 1983
Ernestine Durán Evans New Mexico Democratic 1975 1978
Agnes Baggett Alabama Democratic 1975 1979
March Fong Eu California Democratic January 6, 1975 May 7, 1994
Joan Growe Minnesota Democratic (DFL) 1975 1999
Norma Paulus Oregon Republican January 3, 1977 January 7, 1985
Rose Mofford Arizona Democratic October 20, 1977 April 5, 1988
Ethel D. Allen Pennsylvania Republican 1979 1979
Shirley Hooper New Mexico Democratic 1979 1982
Alice Kundert South Dakota Republican 1979 1986
Jeannette Edmondson Oklahoma Democratic 1979 1987
Vel Phillips Wisconsin Democratic January 3, 1979 May 3, 1983
Barbara Kennelly Connecticut Democratic 1979 1982
Frances Jones Mills Kentucky Democratic 1980 1984
Mary Jane Odell Iowa Republican 1980 1987
Marilyn Lussen (acting) Virginia Republican 1981 1982
Laurie Naismith Virginia Democratic 1982 1985
Maura L. Melley Connecticut Democratic 1982 1983
Patricia G. Holtz Maryland Democratic 1982 1983
Jane Burgio New Jersey Republican 1982 1990
Clara Padilla Jones New Mexico Democratic 1983 1986
Susan Farmer Rhode Island Republican 1983 1987
Lorraine M. Sheehan Maryland Democratic 1983 1987
Julia Tashjian Connecticut Democratic 1983 1991
Gail S. Shaffer New York Democratic January 1, 1983 January 4, 1995
Natalie Meyer Colorado Republican 1983 1995
Barbara Roberts Oregon Democratic January 7, 1985 January 14, 1991
Sandra Bowen Virginia Democratic 1986 1990
Joyze Hazeltine South Dakota Republican 1986 2003
Rebecca Vigil-Giron New Mexico Democratic 1987 1990
Hannah D. Atkins Oklahoma Democratic 1987 1991
Kathleen S. Connell Rhode Island Democratic 1987 1993
Elaine Baxter Iowa Democratic 1987 1995
Kathy Karpan Wyoming Democratic January 1987 January 1995
Frankie Sue Del Papa Nevada Democratic 1987 1991
Joan Haberle New Jersey Democratic 1990 1992
Pamela M. Womack Virginia Democratic 1990 1993
Pauline R. Kezer Connecticut Republican 1991 1995
Cheryl Lau Nevada Republican 1991 1995
Stephanie Gonzales New Mexico Democratic 1991 1998
Brenda K. Mitchell Pennsylvania Democratic 1992 1994
Ruby Grant Martin Virginia Democratic 1993 1994
Judith Moriarty Missouri Democratic 1993 1994
Barbara Leonard Rhode Island Republican 1993 1995
Betsy Davis Beamer Virginia Republican 1994 1998
Glo Henley Oklahoma Democratic 1994 1995
Lonna Hooks New Jersey Republican 1994 1998
Rebecca McDowell Cook Missouri Democratic 1994 2001
Sue Anne Gilroy Indiana Republican 1994 2002
Yvette Kane Pennsylvania Democratic 1995 1998
Victoria Buckley Colorado Republican 1995 1999
Sandra Mortham Florida Republican 1995 1999
Diana J. Ohman Wyoming Republican January 1995 January 1999
Jane Dee Hull Arizona Republican January 3, 1995 September 5, 1997
Sharon M. Priest Arkansas Democratic 1995 2003
Janice H. Faulkner North Carolina Democratic 1996 1997
Elaine Marshall North Carolina Democratic January 3, 1997
Betsey Bayless Arizona Republican September 5, 1997 January 6, 2003
Carol Cronheim (Acting) New Jersey Republican 1998 1999
Anne Petera Virginia Republican 1998 2002
Katherine Harris Florida Republican 1999 2002
Kim Pizzingrilli Pennsylvania Republican 1999 2002
Donetta Davidson Colorado Republican 1999 2005
Rebecca Vigil-Giron New Mexico Democratic 1999 2006
Cathy Cox Georgia Democratic 1999 2007
Mary Kiffmeyer Minnesota Republican 1997 2007
Deborah Markowitz Vermont Democratic 1999 2011
Susan Bysiewicz Connecticut Democratic 1999 2011
Harriet Smith Windsor Delaware Democratic 2001 2009
Kay Dudley Oklahoma Republican 2002 2003
Anita Rimler Virginia Democratic 2002 2006
Regena Thomas New Jersey Democratic 2002 2006
Glenda Hood Florida Republican 2003 2005
Nancy Worley Alabama Democratic 2003 2007
Jan Brewer Arizona Republican January 6, 2003 January 21, 2009
M. Susan Savage Oklahoma Democratic 2003 2011
Cathy Mitchell California (acting) Democratic 2005 2005
Sue M. Cobb Florida Republican 2005 2007
Gigi Dennis Colorado Republican 2005 2007
Mary D. Kane Maryland Republican 2005 2007
Betty Ireland West Virginia Republican 2005 2009
Robin Carnahan Missouri Democratic 2005 2013
Katherine Hanley Virginia Democratic 2006 2010
Nina Mitchell Wells New Jersey Democratic 2006 2010
Karen Handel Georgia Republican 1999 2007
Mary Herrera New Mexico Democratic 2007 2010
Jennifer Brunner Ohio Democratic January 8, 2007 January 10, 2011
Beth Chapman Alabama Republican 2007 2013
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez New York Democratic January 1, 2007 September 1, 2010
Debra Bowen California Democratic January 8, 2007 January 4, 2015
Kate Brown Oregon Democratic January 5, 2009 February 18, 2015
Linda McCulloch Montana Democratic 2009 2017
Natalie Tennant West Virginia Democratic 2009 2017
Dawn K. Roberts
Interim
Florida Republican 2010 2011
Ruth Noemí Colón New York Democratic September 1, 2010 May 2, 2011
Janet Vestal Kelly Virginia Republican 2010 2014
Kim Guadagno New Jersey Republican 2010 2018
Jennifer Kennedy
Interim
Florida Republican 2011 2011
Denise Merrill Connecticut Democratic January 5, 2011 June 30, 2022
Elaine Waler Kentucky Democratic 2011 2012
Carol Aichele Pennsylvania Republican 2011 2015
Dianna Duran New Mexico Republican 2011 2015
Alison Grimes Kentucky Democratic January 2, 2012 2020
Connie Lawson Indiana Republican March 16, 2012 March 16, 2021
Michelle Day (Interim) Oklahoma Republican 2013 2013
Kim Wyman Washington Republican January 16, 2013 November 19, 2021
Mary Quintana New Mexico (Acting) 2015 2015
Barbara Cegavske Nevada Republican January 5, 2015 2023
Shantel Krebs South Dakota Republican 2015 2019
Michele Reagan Arizona Republican January 5, 2015 January 7, 2019
Jeanne Atkins Oregon Democratic March 11, 2015 January 2, 2017
Karen Wheeler Wyoming (Acting) Republican 2018 2018
Kathy Boockvar
Acting
Pennsylvania Democratic January 5, 2019 2021
Nellie Gorbea Rhode Island Democratic January 6, 2015 2023
Rossana Rosado New York Democratic February 22, 2016 2021
Kelly Thomasson Virginia Democratic April 15, 2016 January 15, 2022
Maggie Toulouse Oliver New Mexico Democratic December 9, 2016
Robyn Crittenden Georgia Republican 2018 2019
Tahesha Way New Jersey Democratic January 16, 2018
Jennifer Kennedy
Interim
Florida Republican 2019 2019
Jocelyn Benson Michigan Democratic January 1, 2019
Katie Hobbs Arizona Democratic January 7, 2019 January 2, 2023
Jena Griswold Colorado Democratic January 8, 2019
Laurel Lee Florida Republican January 28, 2019 May 16, 2022
Leslie Cummings
Acting
Oregon Republican February 26, 2019 March 31, 2019
Bev Clarno Oregon Republican March 31, 2019 January 4, 2021
Holli Sullivan Indiana Republican 2021 2022
Christi Jacobsen Montana Republican 2021
Shirley Weber California Democratic 2021
Shenna Bellows Maine Democratic 2021
Veronica Degraffenreid (acting) Pennsylvania Democratic 2021 2022
Shemia Fagan Oregon Democratic 2021 2023
Kay Coles James Virginia Republican 2022 2023
Monae Johnson South Dakota Republican 2022
Leigh M. Chapman (acting) Pennsylvania Democratic 2022 2023
Sarah Copeland-Hanzas Vermont Democratic 2023
Sarah Godlewski Wisconsin Democratic 2023
LaVonne Griffin-Valade Oregon Democratic 2023
Cheryl Myers (Acting) Oregon Democratic 2023 2023
Kelly Gee (Acting) Virginia Republican September 1, 2023 2026
Nancy Landry Louisiana Republican January 8, 2024 2028


List of female lieutenant governors

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Certain states do not have a secretary of state; instead the lieutenant governor is responsible for those duties.

Officeholder State Party Assumed office Term expires
Jean King Hawaii Democratic December 2, 1978 December 2, 1982
Olene Walker Utah Republican January 4, 1993 November 5, 2003
Mazie Hirono Hawaii Democratic December 2, 1994 December 2, 2002
Fran Ulmer Alaska Democratic December 5, 1994 December 2, 2002
Valerie Davidson Alaska Independent October 16, 2018 December 3, 2018
Deidre Henderson Utah Republican 2021
Nancy Dahlstrom Alaska Republican 2022
Sylvia Luke Hawaii Democratic 2023

Female territorial secretaries of state

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Officeholder Territory Party Assumed office Term expires
Lauren Vaughan District of Columbia Democratic January 2, 2015 December 11, 2018

References

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