 In Minnesota, the main duty of the Secretary of State is running the state's elections.The 2008 elections were particularly busy for Ritchie and his staff.The Secretary of State's office oversaw the November 2008 General Election, in which a record number of votes were cast, a statewide recount in a primary race for the Minnesota Supreme Court, recounts in the general elections contest of several state legislative races, and the disputed and highly publicized U.S. Senate race.