(a) The clerk of each circuit court shall regularly report to the Secretary of State the names and offices of all officers who have taken and subscribed an oath before the clerk.
(b) The Secretary of State:
(1) shall preserve a report required by subsection (a) of this section; and
(2) equally with the clerk of a circuit court, is competent to certify that an officer has qualified by taking and subscribing an oath before the clerk.