+Number of secretaries of state of Wisconsin by party affiliationWisconsin has had 29 secretaries of state. Two served non-consecutive terms, and are thus counted twice in this table. Theodore Dammann changed his party and is therefore counted twice also.PartySecretariesRepublican20Democratic11Progressive1 The secretary of state of Wisconsin is an officer of the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the second in the order of succession of the governor of Wisconsin, behind the lieutenant governor. 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.

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. No secretary of state has ever ascended to the governorship or acting-governorship under such circumstances. 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. Some secretaries of state have acted as governor for short periods of time under such circumstances.

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. 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.

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.

Secretaries of state Secretaries of Wisconsin Territory From 1836 until 1848, what is now Wisconsin was part of Wisconsin Territory. The Organic Act which created the territory provided for the office of a secretary, to be appointed by the president, whose duties consisted of recording the proceedings of the territory's legislature, and the laws it produced, as well as the proceedings of the territorial governor. Additionally, in the event of the inability of the governor to serve—due to death or various other circumstances—the secretary was to assume the governor's powers and carry out his duties.

Wisconsin Territory was formed on July 3, 1836. During the time of its existence, it had six territorial secretaries.

# Image Name Appointed Left officeWhen there is no evidence to the contrary, it is assumed that territorial secretaries left office the same day their successors were appointed. Territorial Governor Appointed by 1 John S. Horner April 30, 1836 February 16, 1837 Henry Dodge Andrew Jackson 2 William B. Slaughter February 16, 1837 January 25, 1841 3 Francis J. Dunn January 25, 1841 April 23, 1841 Martin Van Buren 4 Alexander Pope Field April 23, 1841 October 30, 1843 John Tyler James Doty 5 George R. C. Floyd October 30, 1843 February 24, 1846 Nathaniel Tallmadge Henry Dodge 6 John Catlin February 24, 1846 March 3, 1849 James Polk

Secretaries of state of Wisconsin Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848. Since then, it has had 29 secretaries of state, two of whom served non-consecutive terms.

# Image Name Party Took office Left officeWhen there is no evidence to the contrary, it is assumed that secretaries of state left office the same day their successors were sworn in. Governor TermsThe fractional terms of some secretaries of state are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple secretaries served due to death. 1 Thomas McHugh Democratic June 7, 1848 January 7, 1850 Nelson Dewey 1 2 William A. Barstow Democratic January 7, 1850 January 5, 1852 Nelson Dewey 1 3 Charles D. Robinson Democratic January 5, 1852 January 2, 1854Leonard Farwell 1 4 Alexander T. Gray Democratic January 2, 1854 January 7, 1856 William A. Barstow 1 5 David W. Jones Democratic January 7, 1856 January 2, 1860 William A. Barstow 2 Arthur MacArthur Sr. Coles Bashford Alexander Randall 6 Louis P. Harvey Republican January 2, 1860 January 6, 1862 Alexander Randall 1 7 James T. Lewis Republican January 6, 1862 January 4, 1864 Louis P. Harvey 1 Edward Salomon 8 Lucius Fairchild Republican January 4, 1864 January 1, 1866 James T. Lewis 1 9 Thomas S. Allen Republican January 1, 1866 January 3, 1870 Lucius Fairchild 2 10 Llywelyn Breese Republican January 3, 1870 January 5, 1874 Lucius Fairchild 2 Cadwallader C. Washburn 11 Peter Doyle Democratic January 5, 1874 January 7, 1878 William Robert Taylor 2 Harrison Ludington 12 Hans Warner Republican January 7, 1878 January 2, 1882 William E. Smith 2 13 Ernst Timme Republican January 2, 1882 January 5, 1891 Jeremiah M. Rusk 4During Timme's first term, the Wisconsin Constitution was amended to say that all elections of state and county officers would henceforth take place in even-numbered years. By the provisions of the amendment, the terms of all officials who would have left office in 1884, including Timme, were extended by one year. William D. Hoard 14 Thomas Cunningham Democratic January 5, 1891 January 7, 1895 George Wilbur Peck 2 15 Henry Casson Republican January 7, 1895 January 2, 1899 William H. Upham 2 Edward Scofield 16 William Froehlich Republican January 2, 1899 January 5, 1903 Edward Scofield 2 Robert M. La Follette Sr. 17 Walter Houser Republican January 5, 1903 January 7, 1907 Robert M. La Follette Sr. 2 James O. Davidson 18 James A. Frear Republican January 7, 1907 January 6, 1913 James O. Davidson 3 Francis E. McGovern 19 John Donald Republican January 6, 1913 January 1, 1917 Francis E. McGovern 2 Emanuel L. Philipp 20 Merlin Hull Republican January 1, 1917 January 3, 1921 Emanuel L. Philipp 2 21 Elmer Hall Republican January 3, 1921 January 1, 1923 John J. Blaine 1 22 Fred R. Zimmerman Republican January 1, 1923 January 3, 1927 John J. Blaine 2 23 Theodore Dammann Republican January 3, 1927 January 7, 1935 Fred R. Zimmerman 4 Walter J. Kohler Sr. Philip La Follette Albert G. Schmedeman Theodore Dammann Progressive January 7, 1935 January 2, 1939 Philip La Follette 2 24 Fred R. Zimmerman Republican January 2, 1939 December 14, 1954 Julius P. Heil7Died in office. Walter Samuel Goodland Oscar Rennebohm Walter J. Kohler Jr. vacant December 14, 1954 December 16, 1954 Walter J. Kohler Jr. Vacant due to death of secretary of state. 25 Louis Allis Republican December 16, 1954 January 3, 1955 Walter J. Kohler Jr. Appointed to fill vacancy. 26 Glenn Wise Republican January 3, 1955 January 7, 1957 Walter J. Kohler Jr. 1 27 Robert C. Zimmerman Republican January 7, 1957 January 6, 1975 Vernon W. Thomson 8As per a 1967 amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution, Zimmerman's eighth term, beginning in 1971, was the first to last for 4 years Gaylord Nelson John W. Reynolds Jr. Warren P. Knowles Patrick Lucey 28 Doug La Follette Democratic January 6, 1975 January 3, 1979 Patrick Lucey 1 Martin J. Schreiber 29 Vel Phillips Democratic January 3, 1979 January 3, 1983 Lee S. Dreyfus 1 30 Doug La Follette Democratic January 3, 1983 March 17, 2023 Tony Earl 11La Follette resigned on March 17, 2023, cutting his eleventh term short. Tommy Thompson Scott McCallum Jim Doyle Scott Walker Tony Evers 31 Sarah Godlewski Democratic March 17, 2023 Incumbent Tony Evers 1 Appointed to serve the remainder of La Follette's eleventh term following his resignation.

Notes

Other high offices held This is a table of governorships, lieutenant governorships, congressional seats, and ranking diplomatic positions in foreign countries held by former Wisconsin secretaries of state.

Name Term Other offices held William Barstow 1850–1852 Governor of Wisconsin Louis Harvey 1860–1862 Governor of Wisconsin James Lewis 1862–1864 Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin; Governor of Wisconsin Lucius Fairchild 1864–1866 Governor of Wisconsin; Minister to Spain James Frear 1907–1913 Representative from Wisconsin Merlin Hull 1917–1921 Representative from Wisconsin Fred Zimmerman 1923–19271939–1954 Governor of Wisconsin

References