Colorado Secretary of State
The Colorado Secretary of State is an elected office position that handles a variety of filing, registration, and administration duties. The Colorado Department of State is responsible for ensuring the integrity of elections, collecting and making accessible important public records, and enhancing the state’s commerce. Some of the department’s notable duties are registering new businesses and trade names, handling amendments, determining filing fees, keeping track of foreign LLCs and corporations operating in the state, and maintaining a list of commercial registered agents.
Colorado Secretary of State Office Holders
Every state has their own position of Secretary of State. The position is third in the line of succession for the state behind the governor and lieutenant governor. In the event that both of these officials are not present in the state, the Secretary of State is responsible for fulfilling any official governor duties until the return of either. The current Colorado Secretary of State is Democrat Jena Griswold. She was sworn into office on January 8, 2019. She was preceded by Republican Wayne Williams, who served from 2015 to 2019. In order to be eligible to serve the role of Secretary of State in Colorado, the office holder must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of Colorado for at least two years prior to the election.
Colorado Business Filings
An important function of the Secretary of State is maintaining all of the state’s business records. These records encompass all the new business filings and amendments that follow. Colorado does not keep tabs on the membership or managers of the LLCs in its state, as it allows anonymous formation. Like all states, however, it does require that your LLC maintain a registered agent and that all of the agent’s information stay up-to-date, so that your organization can be contacted for any important matters.
Colorado Department of State Divisions
Estate Planning As the head of the Colorado Department of State, the Secretary of State oversees the department’s four main divisions:
Business & Licensing Division
The business and licensing division handles filing for organizations and corporations with the state of Colorado. This also includes filing trade names, registering trademarks, and other financial statements. Additionally, this division maintains a state database where business filings are made available for public viewing and issues appropriate certificates to businesses. Also, this department is responsible for inspecting the state’s gaming operations, registering all charitable organizations operating in the state, and publishing current administrative rules and regulations for guidance and compliance of state agencies.
Elections Division
The election division oversees elections, maintains the registration file for all statewide voters, and supervises campaign finance laws. Additionally, in the event of initiative petitions, the election division verifies signatures. This division is also a filing office that serves unincorporated communities and receives conflict of interest statements.
Administration Division
The administration division offers the department support on accounting, budgeting, and human resources. Additionally, this division oversees use of the State seal, registers lobbyists, licenses entities for petition circulation, responds to press inquiries, monitors legislation that might affect the department, and files any acts passed by the Colorado General Assembly.
Information Technology Division
The information technology division supports and implements the department’s IT needs by maintaining its large infrastructure: servers, computers, networking, firewall, and many other supporting IT equipment. Additionally, this division supports the department’s online presence.
In conclusion, the Colorado Secretary of State is an important organization for anyone considering doing business in Colorado. They have many rules for doing business in the state, which are important to follow in order to avoid legal issues. If you elect us as your registered agent, we can help ensure you meet all of the requirements to remain compliant, such as filing your periodic report on time.
