Illinois Secretary of State

The Secretary of State of Illinois is the keeper of the official records, laws, and Great Seal of Illinois. These duties have remained unchanged since Illinois became a U.S. state in 1818.

In addition, the Secretary of State performs such other duties as may be prescribed by law. By statute, the Illinois Secretary of State is tasked with the duty of issuing licenses to Illinois-registered motor vehicles and their drivers. Enforcement of these duties has made the Secretary of State's office a key bureau in the enforcement of driving-under-the-influence or DUI laws. In addition, the Secretary of State is the Illinois State Librarian and custodian of the Illinois State Capitol.

The Secretary of State, to be eligible to take the oath of office, must be a United States citizen of at least 25 years of age, and a resident of Illinois for at least three years preceding the election.

Facilities

The Secretary of State's office occupies three buildings of the Illinois Capitol Complex in Springfield, Illinois. Many of the Secretary of State's workers assigned to motor vehicle and licensing duties work in the Howlett Building, south of the Capitol. The Howlett Building is named after former Secretary of State Michael Howlett. The State Archives are housed in the Norton Building, southwest of the Capitol. The Illinois State Library is located in the Brooks Library, east of the Capitol, which is named for longtime state Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1950.

In addition, the Secretary of State operates 136 Driver Services license-issuing facilities statewide.

Current occupant

As of 2008, the current Illinois Secretary of State is Jesse White. He is currently serving his third term. First elected in November 1998, he is the 37th Illinois Secretary of State and the first African-American to serve in this office. A longtime elected officeholder from Chicago, Illinois, White is a member of the Democratic Party.

eal of Illinois

The official motto of the State of Illinois is "State Sovereignty - National Union". The Illinois Secretary of State in 1867, Sharon Tyndale, disliked the word "sovereignty", which he viewed as emblematic of the doctrine of state's rights that Federal troops had fought against in the American Civil War. As the keeper of the Great Seal of Illinois, he had it re-engraved so that the offending word "sovereignty" was upside down. This 1867 seal redesign continues in use to this day, and can be seen, among other places, as the principal device on the flag of Illinois.

ee also

*List of Illinois Secretaries of State

External links

* [http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/ Illinois Secretary of State official website]