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 secretary of state. 

What does the Secretary of State do?
The secretary of state manages many of the state’s official records.The secretary of state serves on the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, the Public Employee Trust Fund and the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The secretary of state assumes the role of governor. If the governor leaves office during their term, and there is no lieutenant governor, the secretary of state assumes the role of governor.

Why does this matter?

As a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, the secretary of state 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 secretary of state also plays a key role in ensuring that our state’s records are kept, filed appropriately, and are accessible to the public.

The secretary of state race is receiving increased attention this year as some candidates and lawmakers are calling for the secretary of state to reassume the administration of our state’s elections. This would transfer election oversight from the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission to the partisan secretary of state’s office.