There is a Secretary of State, as provided in Article II, § 22 of the Maryland Constitution. The Secretary of State is in the Executive Department.

The Governor may appoint a Deputy Secretary of State. If the Secretary of State is absent from the seat of the State government or ill, the Deputy Secretary may carry out any duty that is imposed by law on the Secretary.

In addition to the powers granted and duties imposed elsewhere, the Secretary of State has the powers and duties set forth in this subtitle.

This section does not apply to an agreement for the care, treatment, or supervision of 1 individual. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a unit that enters into an international or interstate compact or other international or interstate agreement of general application, including an amendment to a compact or agreement, on behalf of the State, shall file a copy of the compact or agreement with the Division of State Documents in the Office of the Secretary of State. A unit need not file a copy of a compact or agreement under this section if the compact or agreement is part of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Division of State Documents in the Office of the Secretary of State shall: keep an agreement or compact delivered under this section: until any limit that is set for the agreement or compact to become effective expires; and if the agreement or compact becomes effective, until it is abrogated; and publish the agreement or compact in the Maryland Register. After keeping the agreement or compact for the time required under this section, the Division of State Documents may deliver the agreement or compact to the State Archives.

The Secretary of State shall: keep a book in which the Secretary records each commission that the Governor issues to a civil officer; and send the commission of each civil officer to the individual before whom the officer is to qualify. The Secretary of State shall keep the records on qualification of civil officers that the clerks of court file as provided by law. The Secretary of State may certify to the qualification of a civil officer to the same extent that a clerk of court may certify.

The Secretary of State shall have a seal for the authentication of copies of records in the Office of the Secretary. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary of State may charge a person: for the authentication of a copy of a record in the custody of the Secretary, a fee of not more than $5; and if the person does not provide the copy for authentication, 50 cents a page.

The Secretary of State’s annual salary shall be: $120,000 for the first year of appointment beginning January 2027; $124,000 starting on the first anniversary after appointment; $124,000 starting on the second anniversary after appointment; and $128,000 starting on the third anniversary after appointment and thereafter.

In this section, “affidavit” means a written statement: made to the best of the affiant’s knowledge, information, and belief; and the contents of which are affirmed under the penalties of perjury. A nonprofit association, corporation, or other organization that has been in existence for at least 5 years and promotes social welfare and general civic improvement may register with the Secretary of State as a community association by filing an affidavit that the organization meets the requirements of § 5-406(a)(7) of the Courts Article.

The Office of the Secretary of State shall assume lead responsibility with respect to the maintenance and development of sister-state relationships.