About Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore
Secretary of State Gregg Amore is a Townie, and a Rhode Islander, through and through. He is a proud lifelong resident of East Providence where he has been a teacher, coach, and community volunteer for over thirty years. He married his high school sweetheart Lee (Smith) and together they have two (now adult) daughters, Tess and Megan. Amore graduated from East Providence High School in 1984 before continuing his education at Providence College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1988 and played as a member of the Friars baseball team. In 2010, he earned a master’s degree in public policy from New England College.
As Secretary of State, Secretary Amore has prioritized ingenuity, accessibility, and civic engagement. He created and launched the Department’s flagship initiative, the RI Civic Leadership Program, upon taking office. Since its first session over the 2023-2024 school year, more than 300 students have participated in the Program, which was recognized as a finalist for the National Association of Secretaries of State’s IDEAS Award in 2024. Secretary Amore also launched the Civic Education Teacher of the Year Award and a series of classroom lessons focused on voting rights, citizen duties and responsibilities, and the Declaration of Independence and Rhode Island’s role in the Revolution. Secretary Amore continues to champion initiatives to increase public programming and streamline service provision throughout the Department’s Divisions.
Secretary Amore is a leading voice in promoting the passage of a Rhode Island Voting Rights Act. To protect Rhode Island business owners, he is advocating for legislation to prevent business identity theft, fraudulent business filings, and deceptive solicitations. He has also prioritized the creation of the Rhode Island State History Center as an attraction for Rhode Islanders and tourists alike. His legislative accomplishments as Secretary of State include creating criminal penalties for individuals who threaten poll workers or elections officials and regulating the use of synthetic media in election communications.
Prior to serving as Secretary of State, Gregg taught Advanced Placement United States History and United States Civics and Government courses at East Providence High School for twenty-seven years. In 2008, he was recognized as the Rhode Island History Teacher of the Year. In addition, he served as the East Providence School District Athletic Administrator, following a rewarding high school and college coaching career in both hockey and baseball at La Salle Academy, East Providence High School, the United States Naval Academy Prep School, and Providence College.
Committed to public service, Gregg ran for State Representative in 2012 and served the residents of East Providence with distinction for ten years. His legislative accomplishments as a State Representative include education reform related to curriculum and site-based management, increasing English Language Learner categorical funding, school construction initiatives, the retention and recruitment of teachers of color, and making college more affordable for Rhode Islanders. He was the original sponsor of the Hope Scholarship, providing two years of tuition-free education for students at Rhode Island College. In 2021, Representative Amore cosponsored the law which requires students to demonstrate proficiency in civics education before high school graduation, and in 2021 and 2022, he cosponsored the Let RI Vote Act, which significantly expanded access to the ballot.
Secretary Amore was sworn into office on January 3, 2023. He has been recognized with the Solidarity Award from ARISE, the Learning Community “Get Smart!” award, the Champion of Change award from the RI School for Progressive Education, and the Rhode Island Higher Education Excellence Award by the New England Board of Higher Education and the New England Higher Education Compact. In 2024, he was inducted into the East Providence High School Hall of Fame. He is Rhode Island’s thirtieth Secretary of State.
Duties of the Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is the state’s third ranking elected official, following the Governor and Lt. Governor. State law gives the Secretary of State many different duties. As Rhode Island’s chief elections officer, the Secretary of State registers voters, prepares ballots, and administers oaths of office. The Secretary of State also works with companies registered to do business in Rhode Island – more than 70,000 in all. State laws and other official acts, such as issuing bonds, must be signed by the Secretary of State in order to make them official. The Secretary of State is also charged with regulating lobbying activity in the Executive and Legislative branches of state government. In addition, the Secretary of State also processes, preserves and gives the public access to hundreds of thousands of historic documents and public records.
To learn more about the work of the RI Department of State in 2023 and 2024, click here to read the Department’s biannual report.
History
The Office of the Secretary of State existed before Rhode Island became a state. The first office-holder, William Aspinwall, served from 1637-38, just one year after the colony was founded. Over the years, the title changed General Recorder to Secretary of the Colony until it finally become Secretary of State in 1776. The term of office changed over the years, too. The Secretary of State served just one year at a time from 1637 until 1912, when a Constitutional amendment set the term at two years. In 1994, another Constitutional amendment changed the term to four years. Until 1663, the Secretary of State was appointed by the legislature, but now is elected by popular vote. The Secretary of State may serve only two consecutive terms before having to leave office for at least one term. If the Office of Secretary of State becomes vacant, the General Assembly appoints a replacement to serve for the remainder of the term. In order to serve as Secretary of State, you must be at least 18 years old, a registered voter, a resident of Rhode Island for at least 30 days and a U.S. citizen.