National Association of Secretaries of State
The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), founded in 1904, is the oldest non-partisan professional organization of public officials in the United States, composed of the Secretaries of State of U.S. states and territories. Currently, all secretaries of state, including Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam) are members of NASS.
NASS maintains its office in Washington, D.C., and promotes positions on issues of interest to Secretaries of State: voter turnout, voting procedures, business services, electronic government, securities, and government archives.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortés became the first Puerto Rican president of the organization, and the last one to hold the position for a full one-year term, followed by Maine's Matthew Dunlap, whose term was cut short by his electoral defeat in the 2010 midterm elections. Minnesota's Mark Ritchie filled the remainder of Dunlap's term. During the organization's annual summer meeting in San Juan in July 2012, Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman turned over the presidency to Nevada's Ross Miller.
Contents
Positions of NASS
NASS has taken a stand on the issue of the United States presidential primaries, promoting the Rotating Regional Primary System. (July 2007) [1]
NASS has called on the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to publish a plain English guide to the new Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. (July 2007) [2]
NASS has also published a position paper on Federal legislation, calling on the Congress to respect states rights. (February 2007) [3]
NASS Presidents
- Ross Miller - Nevada (2013)
- Beth Chapman - Alabama (2012)
- Mark Ritchie - Minnesota (2011)[1]
- Matthew Dunlap - Maine (2010)
- Pedro Cortés - Pennsylvania (2008–09)
- Todd Rokita - Indiana (2007–08)
- Rebecca Vigil-Giron - New Mexico (2004–05)
- Mary Kiffmeyer - Minnesota (2003–04)
- Joan Anderson Growe - Minnesota (1979–80)
- Joseph L. Donovan - Minnesota (1967–68)
- Mike Holm - Minnesota (1924–26) (1944–45)
Annual summer meetings
NASS holds its annual winter meeting in Washington DC, usually during the month of February. Its summer meeting, usually held during the month of July, is rotated throughout the member states and territories. Venues include:
- Anchorage, Alaska - 2013
- San Juan, Puerto Rico - 2012 hosted by Kenneth McClintock
- Daniels, West Virginia - 2011 hosted by Natalie Tennant
- Providence, Rhode Island - 2010 hosted by Ralph Mollis
- Minneapolis, Minnesota - 2009 hosted by Mark Ritchie
