Issue Paper: Strategic AI Use at Secretary of State Offices

Secretary of State offices are managing a growing operational imbalance. As more services move online, residents and businesses expect faster responses, simpler transactions, and continuous digital access. At the same time, agencies must process rising volumes of filings, records requests, licensing activity, and constituent inquiries without proportionally increasing staff capacity. 

This challenge is no longer primarily about digitizing services. For many offices, the larger issue is sustaining responsive service delivery as demand continues to scale. Every improvement in digital access increases expectations for speed, availability, and responsiveness — placing additional pressure on teams already managing complex administrative workloads. 

That reality is changing how agencies evaluate artificial intelligence (AI). Rather than viewing AI as a standalone innovation initiative, many government leaders are approaching it as a practical operational capability: one that can reduce administrative burden, improve access to information, support staff decision-making, and help agencies manage growing service demand more effectively. 

This issue paper explores how, for Secretary of State offices, the most valuable AI applications are not replacing staff. They are expanding organizational capacity within the systems and workflows agencies already use every day.