Secretary of State Bio

Secretary of State Michael Howe

Secretary of State
Michael Howe

Personal
Born September 20, 1986; wife, Katie

Party Affiliation
Republican

Education
Central Cass High School; North Dakota State University, B.S.

Professional Experience
2011-2012, United States House of Representatives, Legislative Assistant; 2013, North Dakota Corn Growers Association, Policy/Communications Specialist; 2014-2022, Howe Seed Farms, Managing Partner; 2016-2022, North Dakota House of Representatives, District 22 State Representative; 2022, elected as North Dakota’s fifteenth Secretary of State.

Howe served rural Cass County in the North Dakota Legislature for three sessions as State Representative from District 22. In his second legislative session Howe was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee. He served as chairman of the interim Government Finance Committee. Howe is a member of the National Association of Secretaries of State.

Summary of Duties
The Secretary of State commissions notaries public, registers lobbyists, issues contractor licenses, registers charitable organizations, regulates boxing and mixed fighting styles, maintains a central database for the recording of various security documents (e.g., uniform commercial code, crop, and livestock liens),registers and administers laws pertaining to more than 40 different business entity categories, and is the state’s chief election officer.

In addition, the Secretary of State attests the official acts of the Governor and maintains a related registry, is the custodian of the Great Seal, and receives and files the original signed copies of legislative bills and resolutions.

The Secretary of State is a member of the Emergency Commission, Board of University and School Lands, State Historical Board, State Canvassing Board, Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Awards Committee, and State Information Technology Advisory Committee.