Texas / Secretary of State
Agency file
The Secretary of State administers elections and maintains official state records and registrations.
In 2026, this agency had 299 employees with median total compensation of $69,300; the highest distinct record was $285,000.
What the records show
These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.
How 2026 total compensation is spread across the 299 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($69,300) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.
What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.
The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $113,715 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $53,699. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).
The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.
Trend
How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 2 published years.
| Year | Total payroll | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $21M — | 270 — | $69,300 — |
| 2026 | $23.7M ▲ 12.6% | 299 ▲ 10.7% | $69,300 ±0% |
Compare
Departments elsewhere with the most similar mix of roles — a proxy for the same kind of agency, matched by workforce composition rather than name. Pay is not cost-of-living adjusted.
Record list
Page 1
Secretary of State/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
Jane Nelson works as a Secretary of State for Secretary of State. Their status is erf - exempt regular full-time. Jane earned $285,000 in 2026.
Deputy Director III/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
David Nelson is a Deputy Director III at Secretary of State. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $265,008.
General Counsel V/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
Adam Bitter is a General Counsel V at Secretary of State. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $224,508.
Director VII/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
At Secretary of State, Christina Adkins serves as a Director VII. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $210,000.
Director VI/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
Kristi Hart is a Director VI at Secretary of State. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $195,000.
General Counsel IV/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
At Secretary of State, Zeenia Challa serves as a General Counsel IV. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $194,775.
Director VI/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
Michael Powell is a Director VI at Secretary of State. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $190,000.
Director V/Secretary of State
Source-specific fields
Vincent Houston holds the role of Director V at Secretary of State. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $185,850.