The Midterms: What’s on the Ballot? The State Treasurer

In the lead up to the midterm elections we’ll be taking some time to break down the key roles and responsibilities of the various offices voters will see on their ballot. This weekend we’re featuring the state treasurer. 

What does the State Treasurer do?
The state treasurer is the state’s chief financial officer. The state treasurer serves on the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, the Public Employee Trust Fund and the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. 

Why does this matter?
As the state’s chief financial officer, the state treasurer plays a role in ensuring the financial health of our state. The treasurer is responsible for signing certain checks and financial instruments and helping to publicize the state’s unclaimed property program. The state treasurer can also provide greater transparency and accountability in the state’s finances.

As a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, the state treasurer plays a key role in managing the state’s remaining trust lands (more than 77,000 acres of forest), managing trust funds (more than $1 billion) primarily for the benefit of public school libraries (these funds are the sole source of state funding for public school libraries), and maintains the state’s archive of 19th-century land survey and land sales records. 

The role of the state treasurer has received increased attention over the last few years after a proposed constitutional amendment to remove the office was rejected by voters in 2018. Voters decided that they wanted to keep the role of treasurer as a statewide elected office.