In the United Kingdom, a Secretary of State is a senior Cabinet Minister in charge of a Government Department.
In the United States federal government, the Secretary of State is responsible for foreign policy.
In the individual states of the United States, the Secretary of State is normally an administrative officer responsible for certifying elections and maintaining corporate registrations. In some states, the Secretary of State handles driver's licenses and license plates and certifies state documents and notaries public. Ordinarily this not a particularly powerful position, but the Secretary of State of Florida played a important role in deciding the outcome of the 2000 Presidental election.
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