The acting Pennsylvania Secretary of State is Al Schmidt (R). Schmidt assumed office in 2023. Customers can contact the Secretary of State’s office by calling (717) 787-1057 or by fax at (717) 783-2244. The telephone lines are available from 8:00 am to 4:45 pm. The Governor of Pennsylvania is the head of government and chief executive. The current Governor is Tom Wolf.
Secretary of State Appointment Process
The secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania administers the Pennsylvania Department of State. The secretary is appointed by the governor subject to confirmation by the state senate. Since January 2023, the acting secretary is Al Schmidt, a Republican appointed by Governor Josh Shapiro.
Concerns About Election Certification
Doug Mastriano has chosen someone to serve as the commonwealth’s next secretary of state — a position that will hold enormous power over the 2024 presidential election. But he won’t tell voters who it is. If Mastriano wins the general election, there is almost certainly no chance that a Democratic presidential candidate’s victory in Pennsylvania in 2024 will be certified by the state’s governor. "The biggest risk is a secretary of state just saying, ‘I’m not going to certify the election, despite what the court says and despite what the evidence shows, because I’m concerned about suspicions,’” said Clifford Levine, a Democratic election lawyer in Pennsylvania.
The secretary of state’s office is constitutionally required to advertise a proposed amendment, according to the governor’s office. Wolf will appoint Veronica Degraffenreid, another Pennsylvania elections official, to serve as acting secretary. “I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished for the people of Pennsylvania,” Boockvar said. “I’ve always believed that accountability and leadership must be a cornerstone of public service."
How much does the PA Secretary of State make?