{{short description|American politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Josh Cockroft |image = Josh Cockcroft (2012).jpg |caption = Official portrait, 2012 |office = Secretary of State of Oklahoma |governor = Kevin Stitt |term_start = September 13, 2023 |term_end = October 2, 2025 |predecessor = Brian Bingman |successor = Benjamin Lepak (acting) |state_house2 = Oklahoma |district2 = 27th |term_start2 = November 16, 2010 |term_end2 = November 15, 2018 |predecessor2 = Shane Jett |successor2 = Danny Sterling |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|2|6}} |birth_place = Tecumseh, Oklahoma, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |education = Calvary Chapel Bible College }}
'''Josh Cockroft''' (born February 6, 1989) is an American politician who served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 27th district from 2010 to 2018 and as the Oklahoma Secretary of State from 2023 to 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.okhouse.gov/members/District.aspx?District=27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428173242/https://www.okhouse.gov/members/District.aspx?District=27 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2017-04-28 |title=Representative Josh Cockroft |publisher=Okhouse.gov |date= |accessdate=2019-04-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news-star.com/news/20180411/rep-josh-cockroft-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election |title=Rep. Josh Cockroft announces he will not seek re-election |publisher=News-star.com |date=2018-04-11 |accessdate=2019-04-08}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Cockroft attended Calvary Chapel Bible College.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Josh Cockroft {{!}} Oklahoma Secretary of State |url=https://muraena.com/profile/josh_cockroft_690aa517 |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=Muraena.ai |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Cockroft served as a program director for TeenPact Leadership Schools, a Christian program that trains young people to engage in policy and the political process to advance Christian values.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cools |first=Quinton |date=2016-06-08 |title=The Congress Experience |url=https://teenpact.com/the-congress-experience/ |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=TeenPact |language=en-US}}</ref> He was first elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2010 at age 20.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Journal Record |date=2023-09-15 |title=Stitt appoints new secretary of state, chief policy adviser |url=https://journalrecord.com/2023/09/15/stitt-appoints-new-secretary-of-state-chief-policy-adviser/ |access-date=2025-08-14 |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2013, Cockroft led an effort to defund the Oklahoma Arts Council.<ref>{{Cite web |last=X |last2=Email |last3=Bluesky |date=2013-01-24 |title=Bill seeks to eliminate funding for Oklahoma Arts Council |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-xpm-2013-jan-24-la-et-cm-bill-eliminate-oklahoma-arts-council-funding-20130124-story.html |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
After leaving the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Cockroft led government affairs for the Oklahoma Association of Realtors from 2019 to 2022.<ref name=":0" />
He was the political director of Kevin Stitt's 2022 re-election campaign. In December 2022, he was appointed as the deputy chief of staff of the Governor of Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Krehbiel |first1=Randy |title=Political notebook: Lawmakers begin filing 2023 legislation |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/government-politics/political-notebook-lawmakers-begin-filing-2023-legislation/article_b2d1f1d2-71bf-11ed-870c-33b12037745d.html |access-date=28 May 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=December 4, 2022}}</ref> On September 13, 2023 he was appointed Oklahoma Secretary of State by Governor Kevin Stitt.<ref>{{cite web |title=Governor Stitt Taps Josh Cockroft to Serve as Secretary of State and Chief Policy Advisor, Thanks Secretary Bingman for his Service |url=https://oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom/2023/september2023/governor-stitt-taps-josh-cockroft-to-serve-as-secretary-of-state.html |website=oklahoma.gov |publisher=Governor of Oklahoma |access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Ben |title=Former State Rep. Josh Cockroft appointed as Oklahoma Secretary of State |url=https://www.krmg.com/news/local/former-state-rep-josh-cockroft-appointed-oklahoma-secretary-state/SM4UYLUD6JBB5NJQE2YCGWBOCU/?taid=6502e7c1a1f91400018d77c7 |access-date=14 September 2023 |work=KRMG |date=September 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Krehbiel |first1=Randy |title=Stitt appoints aide secretary of state |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/government-politics/stitt-appoints-aide-secretary-of-state/article_9db7ac52-532c-11ee-852a-63cda8da705f.html |access-date=17 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=September 15, 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Brian Bingman}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State of Oklahoma|years=2023–2025}} {{s-aft|after=Benjamin Lepak<br>Acting}} {{s-end}}
{{Kevin Stitt cabinet}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cockroft, Josh}} Category:1989 births Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Category:Secretaries of state of Oklahoma Category:Stitt administration cabinet members
{{Oklahoma-politician-stub}}