During that period, which officials had the right to appoint notaries?

• A. Governors and chief executives
• B. Mayors
• C. County clerks
• D. Secretaries of state

Answer: (A)

The authority to appoint notaries comes from the state’s executive power, not from local offices. In that period, appointing notaries was vested in the Governor, the state’s top executive, and sometimes other high-level chief executives, to keep the process centralized and consistent across the state. This centralized appointment helps ensure that anyone serving as a notary has been properly vetted and authorized to perform official duties statewide.

Mayors operate within their cities and don’t have statewide appointment authority. County clerks handle county-level records and administrative tasks rather than appointing state-wide notaries. The Secretary of State, while responsible for administering and maintaining the roster of commissions, did not hold the appointment power in that period.