List of Secretaries of State of Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
| Party | Secretaries |
|---|---|
| Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
20 |
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
10 |
| Progressive Progressive Party (United States, 1924) The Progressive Party of 1924 was a new party created as a vehicle for Robert M. La Follette, Sr. to run for president in the 1924 election. It did not run candidates for other offices, and it disappeared after the election except in Wisconsin. Its name resembles the 1912 Progressive Party, which... |
1 |
The Secretary of State of Wisconsin
Secretary of State of Wisconsin
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....
is an officer of the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and the second in the order of succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
of the Governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
, behind the lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
The Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin is the first person in the order of succession of Wisconsin's executive branch, thus serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the Governor of Wisconsin...
. The secretary of state is responsible for keeping records of the official acts of the legisative and executive branches of Wisconsin's government and affixing the Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin
Seal of Wisconsin
The Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin is a seal used by the secretary of state to authenticate all of the governor’s official acts, except laws...
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
Wisconsin Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Wisconsin is the governing document of the U.S. State of Wisconsin. It establishes the structure and function of state government, describes the state boundaries, and declares the rights of state citizens...
, however, the secretary simply became acting governor
Acting governor
An acting governor is a constitutional position created in some U.S. states when the governor dies in office or resigns. In some states, the governor may also be declared to be incapacitated and unable to function for various reasons, including illness and absence from the state for more than a...
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
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
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
Ticket (election)
A ticket refers to a single election choice which fills more than one political office or seat. For example, in the U.S., the candidates for President and Vice President run on the same "ticket", because they are elected together on a single ballot question rather than separately.A ticket can also...
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
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1848, two of whom—Fred Zimmerman
Fred R. Zimmerman
Fred R. Zimmerman was a newsboy, milkman, traveling salesman, bookkeeper and Republican politician from Milwaukee, who served as a state representative, 25th Governor of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Secretary of State. His son Robert C...
and Douglas La Follette—served for non-consecutive terms. The first secretary of state was Thomas McHugh
Thomas McHugh (Wisconsin politician)
Thomas McHugh was a Wisconsin politician who served as that state's first secretary of state from June 7, 1848 until January 7, 1850. He served under governor Nelson Dewey.McHugh resided in Delavan, Wisconsin at the time of his election.- References :...
, who took office on June 7, 1848. The current secretary is Douglas La Follette, who took office on January 3, 1983; his current term expires in 2015.
Secretaries of Wisconsin Territory
From 1836 until 1848, what is now Wisconsin was part of Wisconsin TerritoryWisconsin Territory
The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin...
. The Organic Act
Organic Act
An Organic Act, in United States law, is an Act of the United States Congress that establishes a territory of the United States or an agency to manage certain federal lands. The first such act was the Northwest Ordinance, enacted by the Congress of the Confederation in 1787 in order to create the...
which created the territory provided for the office of a Secretary, to be appointed by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, 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.
| # | 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 John S. Horner John Scott Horner also known as Little Jack Horner was a U.S. politician, Secretary and acting Governor of Michigan Territory, 1835–1836 and Secretary of Wisconsin Territory, 1836-1837.-Early life:... |
April 30, 1836 | February 16, 1837 | Henry Dodge Henry Dodge Henry Dodge was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Territorial Governor of Wisconsin and a veteran of the Black Hawk War. His son was Augustus C. Dodge with whom he served in the U.S. Senate, the first, and so far only, father-son pair to serve concurrently.... |
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans... |
| 2 | William B. Slaughter William B. Slaughter William Banks Slaughter was a United States politician.Born in Culpeper County, Virginia, Slaughter was educated at William and Mary College. In 1826, he moved to Bardstown, Kentucky, to read law and be admitted to the Kentucky bar. Later, he moved to Bedford, Indiana, where he practiced law and... |
February 16, 1837 | January 25, 1841 | Henry Dodge | Andrew Jackson |
| 3 | Francis J. Dunn Francis J. Dunn Francis J. Dunn was a Wisconsin politician.Francis Dunn was appointed secretary of the Wisconsin Territory by President Martin Van Buren on January 25, 1841. He continued in office until Alexander P. Field took office on April 23, 1841. Dunn served in the Wisconsin Territorial House of... |
January 25, 1841 | April 23, 1841 | Henry Dodge | Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson .... |
| 4 | Alexander Pope Field Alexander Pope Field Alexander Pope Field was a United State politician.Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he studied law in Illinois and was admitted to the Illinois bar. From 1822 until 1828, he served in the Illinois House of Representatives. From 1829 until 1840, he served as Illinois Secretary of State... |
April 23, 1841 | October 30, 1843 | Henry Dodge | John Tyler John Tyler John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor... |
| James Doty James Duane Doty James Duane Doty was a land speculator and politician in the United States who played a large role in the development of Wisconsin and Utah Territory.-Legal career:... |
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| 5 | George R. C. Floyd George Rogers Clark Floyd George Rogers Clark Floyd was a West Virginia politician and businessman. He served as the Secretary of Wisconsin Territory from 1843 to 1846, and served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1872 to 1873.... |
October 30, 1843 | February 24, 1846 | James Doty | John Tyler |
| Nathaniel Tallmadge Nathaniel P. Tallmadge Nathaniel Pitcher Tallmadge was an American lawyer and politician. He was a U.S. Senator from New York and Governor of the Wisconsin Territory.-Early life:Tallmadge graduated from Union College in 1815... |
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| Henry Dodge | |||||
| 6 | John Catlin John Catlin John Catlin was an American lawyer, politician, public official, and officer within the railroad industry.Catlin served as acting governor of the Wisconsin Territory from June 23, 1848 until March 3, 1849, when Henry Dodge ceased to be the governor of the Wisconsin Territory, upon becoming a... |
February 24, 1846 | March 3, 1849 | Henry Dodge | James Polk |
Secretaries of State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin was admitted to the UnionUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on May 29, 1848. Since then, it has had 28 secretaries of state, two of whom served non-consecutive terms.
| # | 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 Oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations... . |
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 Thomas McHugh (Wisconsin politician) Thomas McHugh was a Wisconsin politician who served as that state's first secretary of state from June 7, 1848 until January 7, 1850. He served under governor Nelson Dewey.McHugh resided in Delavan, Wisconsin at the time of his election.- References :... |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
June 7, 1848 | January 7, 1850 | Nelson Dewey Nelson Dewey Nelson Dewey was a politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin; he was the first Governor of Wisconsin, serving from 1848 until 1852.- Early life :... |
1 |
| 2 | William A. Barstow William A. Barstow William Augustus Barstow was the third Governor of Wisconsin and a Union Army General during the American Civil War.-Early life:Barstow was born in Plainfield, Connecticut... |
Democratic | January 7, 1850 | January 5, 1852 | Nelson Dewey | 1 |
| 3 | Charles D. Robinson Charles D. Robinson Charles D. Robinson was a politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as that state's third Secretary of State for one term from January 5, 1852 to January 2, 1854. He was a Democrat and served under Whig governor Leonard J. Farwell. Robinson served in the Wisconsin State Assembly in... |
Democratic | January 5, 1852 | January 2, 1854 | Leonard Farwell Leonard J. Farwell Leonard James Farwell was an American politician and the second Governor of Wisconsin.Farwell was born in Watertown, New York, and moved to Wisconsin in the 1840s, prior to its statehood... |
1 |
| 4 | Alexander T. Gray Alexander T. Gray Alexander T. Gray, also called Alex T. Grey, was a politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as that state's fourth Secretary of State for a single term from January 2, 1854 to January 7, 1856. He was a Democrat and served under Democratic governor William A. Barstow.He resided in... |
Democratic | January 2, 1854 | January 7, 1856 | William Barstow William A. Barstow William Augustus Barstow was the third Governor of Wisconsin and a Union Army General during the American Civil War.-Early life:Barstow was born in Plainfield, Connecticut... |
1 |
| 5 | David W. Jones David W. Jones David W. Jones was a politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as that state's fifth Secretary of State, serving two terms from January 7, 1856 to January 2, 1860. He was a Democrat and served under Democratic governor William A... |
Democratic | January 7, 1856 | January 2, 1860 | William Barstow | 2 |
| Arthur MacArthur, Sr. | ||||||
| Coles Bashford Coles Bashford Coles Bashford was an American lawyer and politician who became the fifth Governor of Wisconsin. His one term as governor ended in a bribery scandal that forced him to leave the state, but he was later instrumental in the government of the newly formed Arizona Territory.-Early life and... |
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| Alexander Randall Alexander Randall Alexander Williams Randall was a lawyer, judge and politician from Wisconsin. He served as the sixth Governor of Wisconsin from 1858 until 1861. He was instrumental in raising and organizing the first Wisconsin volunteer troops for the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:Randall... |
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| 6 | Louis P. Harvey Louis P. Harvey Louis Powell Harvey was an American politician and the seventh Governor of Wisconsin.Harvey was born in East Haddam, Connecticut, later moving with his family to Ohio. He attended Western Reserve College and Preparatory School and worked as a teacher for a time, and eventually moved to Kenosha,... |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
January 2, 1860 | January 6, 1862 | Alexander Randall | 1 |
| 7 | James T. Lewis James T. Lewis James Taylor Lewis was an American lawyer and politician who served as the ninth Governor of Wisconsin.Lewis was born in Clarendon, New York, and in 1845 he settled in Columbus, Wisconsin. He held the positions of district attorney and county judge, and he was elected to terms in both the... |
Republican | January 6, 1862 | January 4, 1864 | Louis Harvey Louis P. Harvey Louis Powell Harvey was an American politician and the seventh Governor of Wisconsin.Harvey was born in East Haddam, Connecticut, later moving with his family to Ohio. He attended Western Reserve College and Preparatory School and worked as a teacher for a time, and eventually moved to Kenosha,... |
1 |
| Edward Salomon Edward Salomon Edward Salomon was the eighth Governor of Wisconsin during the Civil War after the accidental drowning of his predecessor, Louis P. Harvey.Salomon was born in Ströbeck, Prussian Saxony... |
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| 8 | Lucius Fairchild Lucius Fairchild Lucius Fairchild was an American politician, army general, and diplomat. He served as the tenth Governor of Wisconsin and as U.S. Minister to Spain.-Military career:... |
Republican | January 4, 1864 | January 1, 1866 | James Lewis James T. Lewis James Taylor Lewis was an American lawyer and politician who served as the ninth Governor of Wisconsin.Lewis was born in Clarendon, New York, and in 1845 he settled in Columbus, Wisconsin. He held the positions of district attorney and county judge, and he was elected to terms in both the... |
1 |
| 9 | Thomas S. Allen | Republican | January 1, 1866 | January 3, 1870 | Lucius Fairchild Lucius Fairchild Lucius Fairchild was an American politician, army general, and diplomat. He served as the tenth Governor of Wisconsin and as U.S. Minister to Spain.-Military career:... |
2 |
| 10 | Llywelyn Breese Llywelyn Breese Llywelyn Breese was a politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as that state's tenth Secretary of State, serving for two terms from January 3, 1870 to January 5, 1874. He was a Republican and served under governors Lucius Fairchild and Cadwallader C. Washburn.He resided in Portage,... |
Republican | January 3, 1870 | January 5, 1874 | Lucius Fairchild | 2 |
| Cadwallader Washburn Cadwallader C. Washburn Cadwallader Colden Washburn was an American businessman, politician, and soldier noted for founding what would later become General Mills and working in government for Wisconsin. He was born in Livermore, Maine, one of seven brothers that included Israel Washburn, Jr., Elihu B. Washburne, William D... |
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| 11 | Peter Doyle | Democratic | January 5, 1874 | January 7, 1878 | William Taylor William Robert Taylor William Robert Taylor was an American politician and the 12th Governor of Wisconsin from 1874 to 1876.Taylor was born in Connecticut. He was orphaned at age 6 when his father's ship was lost at sea; his mother had died when he was an infant. He then lived with his guardians in Jefferson County,... |
2 |
| Harrison Ludington Harrison Ludington Harrison Ludington was an American Republican politician who served as the 13th Governor of Wisconsin and a mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.- Ancestry :... |
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| 12 | Hans B. Warner | Republican | January 7, 1878 | January 2, 1882 | William Smith William E. Smith William E. Smith was the 14th Governor of Wisconsin.Born in Kincardineshire, Scotland, and moved to the United States with his family as a child. He had lived in New York City and Michigan before settling in Fox Lake, Wisconsin in 1849... |
2 |
| 13 | Ernst G. Timme | Republican | January 2, 1882 | January 5, 1891 | Jeremiah Rusk Jeremiah McLain Rusk Jeremiah McLain Rusk was the 15th Governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin from 1882 to 1889 and the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1889 to 1893.-Biography:... |
4During Timme's first term, the Wisconsin Constitution Wisconsin Constitution The Constitution of the State of Wisconsin is the governing document of the U.S. State of Wisconsin. It establishes the structure and function of state government, describes the state boundaries, and declares the rights of state citizens... 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 Hoard William D. Hoard William Dempster Hoard was the 16th Governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin from 1889 to 1891.-Early life:... |
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| 14 | Thomas J. Cunningham | Democratic | January 5, 1891 | January 7, 1895 | George Peck George Wilbur Peck George Wilbur Peck was an American writer and politician who served as the 17th Governor of Wisconsin.Peck was born in 1840 in Henderson, New York, the oldest of three children of David B. and Alzina P. Peck. In 1843, the family moved to Cold Spring, Wisconsin... |
2 |
| 15 | Henry Casson Henry Casson Henry Casson was the Secretary of State for Wisconsin from 1895 until 1899. In 1899, at the start of the 56th United States Congress, he was selected by the Republican majority to serve as Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives... |
Republican | January 7, 1895 | January 2, 1899 | William Upham William H. Upham William Henry Upham was a soldier, businessman, and politician who served as the 18th Governor of Wisconsin.-Biography:Upham was born in Westminster, Massachusetts and moved to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1853... |
2 |
| Edward Scofield Edward Scofield Edward Scofield was an American politician who served as the 19th Governor of Wisconsin.-Biography:Scofield was born in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He fought in the American Civil War as a member of the 11th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment and eventually rose to the rank of major. He moved to Oconto,... |
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| 16 | William H. Froehlich | Republican | January 2, 1899 | January 5, 1903 | Edward Scofield | 2 |
| Robert La Follette, Sr. | ||||||
| 17 | Walter L. Houser | Republican | January 5, 1903 | January 7, 1907 | Robert La Follette, Sr. | 2 |
| James Davidson James O. Davidson James Ole Davidson was the 21st Governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.-Background:Jens Ole Davidson was born in Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway. He immigrated in 1872 to the United States when he was 18 years old... |
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| 18 | James A. Frear James A. Frear James Archibald Frear was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.Born in Hudson, Wisconsin, in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, Frear attended the public schools, and Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, in 1878.... |
Republican | January 7, 1907 | January 6, 1913 | James Davidson | 3 |
| Francis McGovern Francis E. McGovern Francis McGovern , was an American politician who served as the 22nd Governor of Wisconsin from 1911 to 1915.McGovern supported the La Follette progressive wing of the Republican Party... |
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| 19 | John S. Donald John Donald (Wisconsin politician) John Sweet Donald was a politician and dentist from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as that state's nineteenth Secretary of State, serving two terms from January 6, 1913 to January 1, 1917. He was a Republican and served under governors Francis E. McGovern and Emanuel L. Philipp.He... |
Republican | January 6, 1913 | January 1, 1917 | Francis McGovern | 2 |
| Emanuel Philipp Emanuel L. Philipp Emanuel Lorenz Philipp was the 23rd Governor of Wisconsin, United States, from 1915 to 1921. He was born in Honey Creek in Sauk County... |
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| 20 | Merlin Hull Merlin Hull Merlin Hull was a Wisconsin lawyer, a newspaper publisher, and a member of the United States House of Representatives.... |
Republican | January 1, 1917 | January 3, 1921 | Emanuel Philipp | 2 |
| 21 | Elmer S. Hall | Republican | January 3, 1921 | January 1, 1923 | John Blaine John J. Blaine John James Blaine was the 24th Governor of Wisconsin and a United States Senator. He served as Mayor of Boscobel, on the Grant County Board of Supervisors, Wisconsin Attorney General, and in the Wisconsin State Senate... |
1 |
| 22 | Fred R. Zimmerman Fred R. Zimmerman Fred R. Zimmerman was a newsboy, milkman, traveling salesman, bookkeeper and Republican politician from Milwaukee, who served as a state representative, 25th Governor of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Secretary of State. His son Robert C... |
Republican | January 1, 1923 | January 3, 1927 | John Blaine | 2 |
| 23 | Theodore Dammann Theodore Dammann Theodore Dammann was a politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as that state's twenty-third Secretary of State, serving six terms from January 3, 1927 to January 2, 1939. For his first four terms he was a Republican and served under governors Fred R. Zimmerman, Walter J. Kohler,... |
Republican | January 3, 1927 | January 7, 1935 | Fred Zimmerman Fred R. Zimmerman Fred R. Zimmerman was a newsboy, milkman, traveling salesman, bookkeeper and Republican politician from Milwaukee, who served as a state representative, 25th Governor of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Secretary of State. His son Robert C... |
4 |
| Walter Kohler, Sr. Walter J. Kohler, Sr. Walter Jodok Kohler, Sr. was an American businessman and politician. He was an innovative and highly successful Wisconsin industrialist. The Kohler Company was founded by his father, John Michael Kohler. Walter Kohler served as the company's president 1905 to 1937... |
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| Philip La Follette Philip La Follette Philip Fox La Follette was an American politician from the US state of Wisconsin. He served three terms as the Governor of Wisconsin and helped create the Wisconsin Progressive Party.-Early life and family:... |
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| Albert Schmedeman Albert G. Schmedeman Albert George Schmedeman was an American politician who served as the 28th Governor of Wisconsin. To date he is the only mayor of Madison to be elected Governor of Wisconsin.-Biography:... |
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| Theodore Dammann | Progressive Progressive Party (United States, 1924) The Progressive Party of 1924 was a new party created as a vehicle for Robert M. La Follette, Sr. to run for president in the 1924 election. It did not run candidates for other offices, and it disappeared after the election except in Wisconsin. Its name resembles the 1912 Progressive Party, which... |
January 7, 1935 | January 2, 1939 | Philip La Follette | 2 | |
| 24 | Fred R. Zimmerman | Republican | January 2, 1939 | December 14, 1954 | Julius Heil Julius P. Heil Julius Peter Heil was the 30th Governor of Wisconsin from 1939 to 1943. A Republican, he was born in Düssmund an der Mosel, Germany, and immigrated to the United States in 1881. In 1901, he founded the Heil Company in Milwaukee, which fabricated steel tank cars. He served two two-year terms as... |
7Died in office. |
| Walter Goodland Walter Samuel Goodland Walter Samuel Goodland was an American politician and the 31st Governor of Wisconsin. He was a Republican. He attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.... |
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| Oscar Rennebohm Oscar Rennebohm Oscar Rennebohm was the 32nd Governor of Wisconsin. He was born in Leeds, Wisconsin, in Columbia County. Rennebohm served in the United States Navy during World War I. Rennebohm, a Republican, was a pharmacist. In 1945, he was elected lieutenant governor of Wisconsin... |
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| Walter Kohler, Jr. Walter J. Kohler, Jr. Walter Jodok Kohler, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Wisconsin for three terms from 1951 to 1957 and a leading figure in state and national Republican Party activities. His role in the clash between Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 has interested... |
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| vacant | December 14, 1954 | December 16, 1954 | Walter Kohler, Jr. | Vacant due to death of secretary of state. | ||
| 25 | Louis Allis Louis Allis Louis Allis was an industrialist.From December 16, 1954 until January 3, 1955, Louis Allis was Secretary of State of Wisconsin following the death of Fred R... |
Republican | December 16, 1954 | January 3, 1955 | Walter Kohler, Jr. | Appointed to fill vacancy. |
| 26 | Glenn M. Wise Glenn M. Wise Glenn Miller Wise was a secretary, statistician, and Republican politician, who served as Wisconsin's first female Secretary of State from 1955-57.- Background :... |
Republican | January 3, 1955 | January 7, 1957 | Walter Kohler, Jr. | 1 |
| 27 | Robert C. Zimmerman Robert C. Zimmerman Robert C. Zimmerman was Secretary of State of Wisconsin from 1957 until his retirement in 1975.... |
Republican | January 7, 1957 | January 6, 1975 | Vernon Thomson Vernon Wallace Thomson Vernon Wallace Thomson was the 34th Governor of Wisconsin from 1957 to 1959. Vernon Thomson was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin. He attended what is now Carroll University, in 1925, but graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, in 1927, where he was a member of the Chi Phi... |
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 Gaylord Nelson Gaylord Anton Nelson was an American politician from Wisconsin who served as a United States Senator and governor. A Democrat, he was the principal founder of Earth Day.-Public service and leadership:... |
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| John Reynolds | ||||||
| Warren Knowles Warren P. Knowles Warren Perley Knowles , born in River Falls, Wisconsin, was an American lawyer and politician from New Richmond, Wisconsin.-Biography:... |
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| Patrick Lucey Patrick Joseph Lucey Patrick Joseph Lucey is a member of the United States Democratic Party who served as the 38th Governor of the US state of Wisconsin from 1971 to 1977. In 1977, he was appointed ambassador to Mexico by President Jimmy Carter, a post he held until 1979... |
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| 28 | Douglas J. La Follette | Democratic | January 6, 1975 | January 3, 1979 | Patrick Lucey | 1 |
| Martin Schreiber Martin J. Schreiber Martin James "Marty" Schreiber is an American politician, publisher, and lobbyist. A Democrat, Schreiber served in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1963 to 1971 before becoming lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and Governor of Wisconsin... |
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| 29 | Vel R. Phillips | Democratic | January 3, 1979 | January 3, 1983 | Lee Dreyfus Lee S. Dreyfus Lee Sherman Dreyfus was an American politician and member of the Republican Party who served as the 40th Governor of Wisconsin from January 4, 1979 to January 3, 1983.... |
1 |
| 30 | Douglas J. La Follette | Democratic | January 3, 1983 | incumbent | Anthony Earl Tony Earl Anthony Scully Earl is a United States politician and a member of the Democratic party and served as the 41st Governor of Wisconsin from 1983 until 1987. He graduated from Michigan State University and earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago... |
8Secretary La Follette's eighth term expires on January 5, 2015. |
| Tommy Thompson Tommy Thompson Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls... |
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| Scott McCallum Scott McCallum Scott McCallum is a member of the Republican Party who served as the 43rd Governor of Wisconsin, from 2001 to 2003. Prior to assuming the role of governor upon the appointment of Tommy Thompson as Secretary of Health and Human Services, McCallum served as a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and... |
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| Jim Doyle Jim Doyle James Edward "Jim" Doyle is a Wisconsin politician and member of the Democratic Party. He was the 44th Governor of Wisconsin, serving from January 6, 2003 to January 3, 2011. He defeated incumbent Governor Scott McCallum by a margin of 45 percent to 41 percent; the Libertarian Party candidate Ed... |
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| Scott Walker Scott Walker (politician) Scott Kevin Walker is an American Republican politician who began serving as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin on January 3, 2011, after defeating Democratic candidate Tom Barrett, 52 percent to 47 percent in the November 2010 general election... |
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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 William A. Barstow William Augustus Barstow was the third Governor of Wisconsin and a Union Army General during the American Civil War.-Early life:Barstow was born in Plainfield, Connecticut... |
1850–1852 | Governor of Wisconsin Governor of Wisconsin The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state... |
| Louis Harvey Louis P. Harvey Louis Powell Harvey was an American politician and the seventh Governor of Wisconsin.Harvey was born in East Haddam, Connecticut, later moving with his family to Ohio. He attended Western Reserve College and Preparatory School and worked as a teacher for a time, and eventually moved to Kenosha,... |
1860–1862 | Governor of Wisconsin |
| James Lewis James T. Lewis James Taylor Lewis was an American lawyer and politician who served as the ninth Governor of Wisconsin.Lewis was born in Clarendon, New York, and in 1845 he settled in Columbus, Wisconsin. He held the positions of district attorney and county judge, and he was elected to terms in both the... |
1862–1864 | Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin The Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin is the first person in the order of succession of Wisconsin's executive branch, thus serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the Governor of Wisconsin... ; Governor of Wisconsin |
| Lucius Fairchild Lucius Fairchild Lucius Fairchild was an American politician, army general, and diplomat. He served as the tenth Governor of Wisconsin and as U.S. Minister to Spain.-Military career:... |
1864–1866 | Governor of Wisconsin; Minister to Spain United States Ambassador to Spain -Ambassadors:*John Jay**Appointed: September 29, 1779**Title: Minister Plenipotentiary**Presented credentials:**Terminated mission: ~May 20, 1782*William Carmichael**Appointed: April 20, 1790**Title: Chargé d'Affaires... |
| James Frear James A. Frear James Archibald Frear was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.Born in Hudson, Wisconsin, in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, Frear attended the public schools, and Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, in 1878.... |
1907–1913 | Representative from Wisconsin United States Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin These are tables of congressional delegations from Wisconsin to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. -United States Senate:-Delegates from Wisconsin Territory:-Members of the United States House of Representatives :-Notes:... |
| Merlin Hull Merlin Hull Merlin Hull was a Wisconsin lawyer, a newspaper publisher, and a member of the United States House of Representatives.... |
1917–1921 | Representative from Wisconsin |
| Fred Zimmerman Fred R. Zimmerman Fred R. Zimmerman was a newsboy, milkman, traveling salesman, bookkeeper and Republican politician from Milwaukee, who served as a state representative, 25th Governor of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Secretary of State. His son Robert C... |
1923–1927 1939–1954 |
Governor of Wisconsin |