Elections

• Educating voters on the election process is a primary responsibility of the Missouri Secretary of State.Wahlzettel image by Senilm from Fotolia.com
  
  From helping candidates file for office to providing assistance to local election authorities, making sure elections run smoothly and results are accurate are two high-profile responsibilities of the secretary of state. The Missouri Voting Rights Center is an educational online resource for voters that the secretary of state administers. In Missouri, the process of getting a question on the ballot through initiative petition begins and ends with the secretary of state. The office must approve the petition for circulation, verify voter signatures and develop the wording that goes on the ballot.
  
  

Securities

• Responding to claims of fraud by investors is one task that falls under the Secretary of State's office.investment opportunities image by Lars Christensen from Fotolia.com
  
  Upholding Missouri laws that regulate securities falls under the jurisdiction of the secretary of state. Securities include real estate investments, stocks, bonds and other kinds of investments in for profit entities. Consumers who believe they are victims of securities fraud can file complaints with the Missouri Secretary of State. The office investigates these claims and performs surprise inspections called audits of investment firms and brokers.
  
  

Business Services

• Missouri corporations must register with the secretary of state's office.modern corporative buildings image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
  
  Starting a new business in Missouri means visiting the secretary of state's office or website. All for profit corporations and non-profit organizations in the state go through multiple steps to register with the secretary of state. Conducting this service for companies along with notary commissioning and handling personal property liens are part of the secretary of state's job.
  
  

Archives

• The secretary of state is responsible for maintaining Missouri's archives.Hospital Files image by PinkSony from Fotolia.com
  
  Delve into Missouri's history by visiting the state's archive, which the secretary of state oversees. This effort to collect and chronicle state history began in 1965 when state lawmakers established the archive and made it the job of the secretary of state to maintain it. According to the Missouri Secretary of State's website, the office preserves and stores over 330 million pages and thousands of other items such as maps, microfilm and photographs. The secretary of state also provides grants to help local governments preserve historical records.
  
  

Other Responsibilities

• Missouri's Secretary of State assists individuals with physical disabilities in accessing library materials.books image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  Other job responsibilities of the Missouri Secretary of State include publishing the Blue Book, the state's official manual, cataloging rules and regulations that state agencies develop and making library materials accessible to citizens with visual and physical disabilities through the Wolfner Library. Another function of the secretary of state is to provide an alternative mailing address for Missouri residents who have been impacted by stalking, domestic violence and certain sex crimes. This service allows these individuals to use this alternative address on government forms and keep their residential address private.