Oaths from the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1998-2013. Accession 51252, State government records collection, The
Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.
Acquisition Information
Transferred by the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth, March 31, 2014.
The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth has evolved from early colonial times when there existed a Secretary of the
Colony. Thomas Nelson held the position of the first Secretary of Virginia in 1776. Early Secretaries were elected by the
public. An Act of the General Assembly in 1920 changed the election to a joint vote of the General Assembly. In a 1930 Act
the duties of the Secretary were redefined with the Secretary of the Commonwealth serving as the ex officio secretary of the
Governor, as custodian of many official State records, and as keeper of the Greater and Lesser Seals of the Commonwealth.
The office of the Secretary has gradually acquired other functions, such as: service of out-of-state civil process; appointment
and regulation of notaries public; and registration and oversight of lobbyists. The Office became a gubernational appointment
subsequent to a 1958 Act of the Assembly. The Secretary of the Commonwealth is under the jurisdiction of the Governor's Office.
The Secretary is appointed by the Governor for a term of four years. Currently the Secretary of the Commonwealth is responsible
for gubernatorial appointments, clemency and restoration of civil rights requests and extraditions. Additional activities
include: serving as ex officio Secretary to the Governor; serving as keeper of the seals of the Commonwealth; compiling and
publishing the annual Blue Book; commissioning and regulating notary publics, including the publication of a Notary Handbook
and conduct of disciplinary hearings; promulgating the lobbying disclosure requirements, registration of lobbyists, and recording
of lobbying reports; servicing the civil process of out-of-state defendants and other parties; and authenticating and certifying
the records of the courts and of any state agency.
Oaths, 1998-2013, are housed in seven boxes and include oaths for Board and Commission appointments, 2010-2013; Agency Head
appointments, 2008; Capitol Police Officer appointments, 2000-2013; General Assembly members, 1998-2012; Governor/Lt. Governor/Attorney
General/Cabinet, 2010; Inspector General, 2012; Judicial appointments, 2002-2011; Locality appointments, 2002-2004. The majority
of the oaths are from the administration of Governor Robert McDonnell, 2010-2014. This collection also includes resignation
letters, 2010-2012.
Before entering official duties, appointees are required by Section 49-1 Code of Virginia to take an oath as an officer of
the Commonwealth to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Virginia, and to faithfully and
impartially discharge incumbent duties. The appointee may be sworn in by a judge, clerk or deputy clerk of a court of record,
a judge of a district court, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, or a State Corporation Commissioner.
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