List of secretaries of state of Wisconsin

Number of secretaries of state of Wisconsin by party affiliation[note 1]
Party Secretaries
Republican 20
Democratic 11
Progressive 1

The secretary of state of Wisconsin is an officer of the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin[1] and the second in the order of succession of the governor of Wisconsin, behind the lieutenant governor.[2] The secretary of state is responsible for keeping records of the official acts of the legislative and executive branches of Wisconsin's government and affixing the Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin to the official acts of the governor.[1]

As second in the order of succession to Wisconsin's governorship, the secretary of state becomes governor if the governor dies, resigns or is removed from office while the lieutenant governorship is vacant; prior to a 1979 amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution, however, the secretary simply became acting governor if any of these events were to occur.[2] No secretary of state has ever ascended to the governorship or acting-governorship under such circumstances.[3] Both before and after the 1979 amendment, the secretary becomes acting governor while the governor is absent from the state, impeached or incapacitated in the absence of a lieutenant governor.[2] Some secretaries of state have acted as governor for short periods of time under such circumstances.[4]

Under the original terms of the state constitution, the secretary of state was elected for a two-year term on a separate ticket from the governor or any other official. A 1967 amendment increased the term of the secretary of state, as well as those of other state officials, to four years. There is no limit to the number of terms a secretary of state may hold.[2] In the event of the death, resignation or removal from office of the secretary of state, the governor may appoint someone to fill the vacancy.[5]

Twenty-eight individuals have held the office of secretary of state since Wisconsin's admission to the Union in 1848, two of whom—Fred Zimmerman and Douglas La Follette—served for non-consecutive terms. The first secretary of state was Thomas McHugh, who took office on June 7, 1848. The current secretary is Sarah Godlewski, who took office on March 17, 2023; her current term expires in 2027.[3][6]


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  1. ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2007). "Chapter 6: Executive Branch". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007–2008 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 508–509. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  2. ^ a b c d Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, ed. (2007). "Wisconsin Constitution (Article V)" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2007–2008 Blue Book. Madison: Wisconsin Legislature Joint Committee on Legislative Organization. p. 214.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bluebook2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Vel Phillips". Topics in Wisconsin History. Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 2010-04-20. During the absence of both the governor and lieutenant governor, [Secretary of State] Phillips served as acting governor, though only briefly....
  5. ^ Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2007). "Chapter 3: Wisconsin Constitution (Article XIII)". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007–2008 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 234–235. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Retrieved 2010-04-19.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Secretary of State Doug La Follette to retire, Gov. Tony Evers appoints Sarah Godlewski to post". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2023-03-17.