From Missouri to Oregon, these are the key Secretary of State elections to watch

This election cycle, voters in seven states—Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia—will see candidates for secretary of state on their ballots.

What does the secretary of state do?

The position's duties are generally administrative, although each state has its own unique roles, and there are not necessarily identical responsibilities delegated to the secretary of state, according to Ballotpedia.

Many are tasked with keeping state records, registering businesses, recording the official acts of the governor, or serving as the chief election official in their state to administer state elections and maintain official election results.

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Other duties might include commissioning and regulating notaries, keeping the official state seal, and certifying official documents.

Which states have a secretary of state?

47 of the 50 states have the elected position of secretary of state. The position does not exist in Alaska, Hawaii, or Utah. The office is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth and differs only in name in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In 35 states, the voters directly elect the secretary of state, and in the other 12 states, the secretary is appointed by either the governor or the state legislature.

The general election will take place on Nov. 5.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: These seven 2024 Secretary of State elections are key