Secretary of State of Texas, Phil Wilson, was appointed and sworn in by Governor Rick Perry on 1st July, 2007.
Texas Secretary of State, is the chief elections officer and also the chief international protocol officer for the state of Texas. The Texas Secretary of State is the Governor's chief liaison in Mexico and border affairs.
The
office of the Texas Secretary of State located in Austin is spread over three premises.
- The Texas Secretary of State Executive Offices are housed in State Capitol, Room 1E.8, Austin, Texas 78701.
- The Elections office of the Texas Secretary of State is in Thomas J. Ruskin Building, 208 East 10th Street, Austin, Texas 78701.
- The Administration, Information Technology, Business and Public Filings departments are located in James E. Rudder Building, 1019 Brazos Street, Austin, Texas 78701
The office of the Secretary of State of Texas remains open from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., on all days except Saturdays and Sundays.
Constitutional Duties
The Secretary of State of Texas is one of the six officials forming the Executive Department of the state, according to the Texas Constitution. The Texas Secretary of State is appointed by the Governor of Texas on confirmation by the Senate, the upper house of the state assembly.
The constitutional duties of the Secretary of State include:
Elections Division - This division monitors elections, voting systems, political parties and candidates. It is also responsible for implementing the Texas Election Code and 'law of the land' for voters in Texas.
The Elections Division also undertakes training programs in schools to educate future voters about the electoral procedure. This program termed Project V.O.T.E. (Voters of Tomorrow through Education) is aimed to motivate future voters.
Business and Public Filings Division - This division comprising four sections maintain records and filings pertaining to legislative mandates, financial and banking transactions, executive branch commissions, Texas corporations and other public organizations.
Guardian of Texas State Seal - The
Secretary of State of Texas is the Guardian of the Seal of the State, which is a five pointed star circumscribed by oak and olive branches and has the words 'The State of Texas' inscribed.
