2022 Wisconsin Secretary of State election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2022 Wisconsin Secretary of State election

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| election_date = November 8, 2022

| country = Wisconsin

| previous_election = 2018 Wisconsin Secretary of State election

| previous_year = 2018

| next_election = 2026 Wisconsin Secretary of State election

| next_year = 2026

| image1 = Secretary La Follette (7166302470) (1).jpg

| nominee1 = Doug La Follette

| party1 = Democratic Party of Wisconsin

| popular_vote1 = 1,268,748

| percentage1 = 48.30%

| image2 = 3x4.svg

| nominee2 = Amy Loudenbeck

| party2 = Republican Party of Wisconsin

| popular_vote2 = 1,261,306

| percentage2 = 48.01%

| map_image = {{switcher |250px |County results |File:2022 Wisconsin secretary of state election by congressional district.svg |Congressional district results |250px |Precinct results |default=1}}

| map_size = 250px

| map_caption = La Follette: {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Loudenbeck: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#d2b1d9|40–50%}} {{legend0|#ae8bb1|50%}} {{legend0|#808080|No data}}

| title = Secretary of State

| before_election = Doug La Follette

| before_party = Democratic Party of Wisconsin

| after_election = Doug La Follette

| after_party = Democratic Party of Wisconsin

}}

The 2022 Wisconsin Secretary of State election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the Secretary of State of Wisconsin. Incumbent Democrat Doug La Follette won re-election to an unprecedented 12th term in the office, narrowly defeating Republican state legislator Amy Loudenbeck. With a margin of 0.29%, this was the closest secretary of state race of the 2022 election cycle.

Background

The secretary of state is one of Wisconsin's six constitutional officers. Once one of the most powerful offices in the state, its role has slowly been diminished as duties were reassigned or eliminated over time. In 1974 election oversight was stripped from the duties of the office and in 2013 the office lost the ability to delay the publicization of laws passed by the legislature, a move which helped unions prepare for Act 10's implementation.{{Cite web |title=1973 Wisconsin Act 334 |url=https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1973/related/acts/334.pdf |access-date=July 6, 2021 |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau}}{{Cite web |title=2013 Wisconsin Act 5 |url=https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2013/related/acts/5 |access-date=July 6, 2021 |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau}}{{Cite news |last=Hardee |first=Howard |date=August 3, 2022 |title=The race for Wisconsin secretary of state takes on higher stakes in 2022 |url=https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/the-race-for-wisconsin-secretary-of-state-takes-on-higher-stakes-in-2022/ |access-date=July 14, 2024 |work=PBS}}

As part of broader attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, Republicans, having historically weakened the office, began a push to put election oversight back under the purview of the secretary of state, as opposed to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which Republicans had created to replace the previous nonpartisan Government Accountability Board, which oversaw elections and ethics.

Democratic primary

=Candidates=

==Nominee==

Doug La Follette, incumbent secretary of state{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Shawn |title=Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug La Follette to seek reelection in 2022 |url=https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-secretary-state-doug-la-follette-seek-reelection-2022 |website=www.wpr.org |publisher=Wisconsin Public Radio |access-date=31 March 2022 |date=17 March 2022}}

==Eliminated in primary==

Alexia Sabor, chair of the Dane County Democratic Party{{cite web |title=Democrat Alexia Sabor to challenge Secretary of State Doug La Follette |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/04/22/democrat-alexia-sabor-challenge-secretary-state-doug-la-follette/7387633001/ |website=www.jsonline.com |publisher=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel |access-date=29 April 2022 |date=22 April 2022}}

=Endorsements=

{{Endorsements box

|title=Alexia Sabor

|list=

Statewide officials

Barbara Lawton, former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin (2003–2011){{cite web |title=Sabor Campaign: Barbara Lawton endorses Alexia Sabor for Wisconsin Secretary of State |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/sabor-campaign-barbara-lawton-endorses-alexia-sabor-for-wisconsin-secretary-of-state/ |website=www.wispolitics.com |date=14 June 2022 |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=17 June 2022}}

}}

=Polling=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"

style="vertical-align:bottom"

! Poll source

! Date(s)
administered

! Sample
size{{efn|Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear|name="Key"}}

! Margin
of error

! style="width:60px;"| Doug
{{nowrap|La Follette}}

! style="width:60px;"| Alexia
Sabor

! Undecided

style="text-align:left;"|Change Research (D)[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GSv5mbamSydouyOQlaebm2DUbTmpiRjpEUC6iAz6zqA/edit Change Research (D)]{{efn-ua|This poll was sponsored by 314 Action Fund|name="314A"}}

|July 1–7, 2022

|560 (LV)

|± 4.6%

|{{party shading/Democratic}}|42%

|9%

|{{party shading/Undecided}}|43%

=Results=

[[File:2022 Wisconsin Secretary of State Democratic primary.svg|thumb|250px|Primary results by county:

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#8db8e2|La Follette}}

|{{legend|#8db8e2|50–60%}}

|{{legend|#679fd7|60–70%}}

|{{legend|#4187cd|70–80%}}

}}

]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic primary results{{cite web |title=2022 State and Federal Official Results|url=https://elections.wi.gov/elections/election-results#accordion-4881 |website=Wisconsin Elections Commission|date=May 18, 2022 }}

}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Doug La Follette (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party of Wisconsin

| votes = 300,773

| percentage = 63.63%

}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Alexia Sabor

| party = Democratic Party of Wisconsin

| votes = 171,954

| percentage = 36.37%

}}{{Election box total no change

| votes = 472,727

| percentage = 100.0%

}}{{Election box end}}

Republican primary

=Candidates=

==Nominee==

Amy Loudenbeck, state assemblywoman

==Eliminated in primary==

Daniel Schmidtka
Jay Schroeder, nominee for secretary of state in 2018{{cite web |title=Jay Schroeder Announcement of Candidacy |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/211116-Schroeder.pdf |website=www.wispolitics.com |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=31 March 2022 |date=16 November 2021}}

==Withdrew before primary==

Dmitry Becker{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Laurel |title=GOP lawmaker Amy Loudenbeck launches secretary of state campaign, calls for office to take control of elections |url=https://www.wpr.org/gop-lawmaker-amy-loudenbeck-launches-secretary-state-campaign-calls-office-take-control-elections |website=www.wpr.org |publisher=Wisconsin Public Radio |access-date=31 March 2022 |date=1 December 2021}} (endorsed Loudenbeck){{cite web |last1=Becker |first1=Dmitry |title=Dmitry Becker for Secretary of State |url=https://www.facebook.com/Becker4SecState |website=Dmitry Becker for Secretary of State |access-date=24 October 2023}}

=Endorsements=

{{Endorsements box

|title=Amy Loudenbeck

|list=

U.S. Representatives

Bryan Steil, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 1st congressional district{{cite web |title=Loudenbeck campaign: Support grows stronger as primary nears, McCallum, Steil and Bancel endorse |date=25 July 2022 |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/loudenbeck-campaign-support-grows-stronger-as-primary-nears-mccallum-steil-and-brancel-endorse/ |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=29 July 2022}}
Tom Tiffany, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 7th congressional district{{cite web |title=Loudenbeck campaign: Support for Loudenbeck for Secretary of State continues to grow |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/loudenbeck-campaign-support-for-loudenbeck-for-secretary-of-state-continues-to-grow/ |website=www.wispolitics.com |date=18 May 2022 |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=20 May 2022}}

Statewide officials

Ben Brancel, former Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (2011–2017)
Scott McCallum, former Governor of Wisconsin (2001–2003)
Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin (1987–2001)
Cathy "Cate" Zeuske, former State Treasurer of Wisconsin 1991–1995)

State legislators

61 state legislators{{cite web |title=Loudenbeck Campaign: Announces legislative endorsements |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/loudenbeck-campaign-announces-legislative-endorsements/ |website=www.wispolitics.com |date=20 January 2022 |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=31 March 2022}}

Individuals

Dmitry Becker, former opponent in primary
Diane Hendricks, co-founder and chair of ABC Supply

Organizations

Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police{{cite web |title=Loudenbeck campaign: Statement on Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police endorsement |date=August 5, 2022 |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/loudenbeck-campaign-statement-on-wisconsin-fraternal-order-of-police-endorsement/ |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=8 August 2022}}
[https://www.wisconsingrocers.com Wisconsin Grocers Association]{{cite web |title=Loudenbeck Campaign: Receives endorsement of Grocers for Secretary of State |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/loudenbeck-campaign-receives-endorsement-of-grocers-for-secretary-of-state/ |website=www.wispolitics.com |date=23 March 2022 |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=31 March 2022}}
Wisconsin Young Republicans{{cite web | url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/wisconsin-young-republicans-announce-election-endorsements/ | title=Wisconsin Young Republicans: Announce election endorsements | date=11 May 2022 }}

}}

{{Endorsements box

|title=Jay Schroeder

|list=

State legislators

Jim Marchant, former Nevada assemblyman (2016–2018), Republican nominee for Nevada secretary of state in 2022{{cite web |title=Schroeder campaign: Receives huge endorsement from fellow patriot for SOS |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/schroeder-campaign-receives-huge-endorsement-from-fellow-patriot-for-sos/ |website=www.wispolitics.com |date=20 June 2022 |publisher=Wispolitics.com |access-date=24 June 2022}}

}}

{{Endorsements box

|title=Declined to endorse

|list=

Organizations

Republican Party of Wisconsin{{cite web |last1=Leischner |first1=Mike |title=No Endorsement From State Republicans in Governor's Race |url=https://wtaq.com/2022/05/22/no-endorsement-from-state-republicans-in-governors-race/ |website=www.wtaq.com |publisher=WTAQ |access-date=28 May 2022 |date=22 May 2022}}

}}

=Results=

[[File:2022 Wisconsin Secretary of State GOP primary.svg|thumb|250px|Primary results by county:

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#ed8783|Loudenbeck}}

|{{legend|#f1b4b2|40–50%}}

|{{legend|#ed8783|50–60%}}

|{{legend|#e55651|60–70%}}

|{{legend|#d02923|70–80%}}

}}

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#c88fe4|Schroeder}}

|{{legend|#dcb7ef|40–50%}}

}}

]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results

}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Amy Loudenbeck

| party = Republican Party of Wisconsin

| votes = 264,940

| percentage = 46.32%

}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jay Schroeder

| party = Republican Party of Wisconsin

| votes = 228,191

| percentage = 39.90%

}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Justin Daniel Schmidtka

| party = Republican Party of Wisconsin

| votes = 78,846

| percentage = 13.78%

}}{{Election box total no change

| votes = 571,977

| percentage = 100.0%

}}{{Election box end}}

Libertarian primary

=Candidates=

==Nominee==

Neil Harmon

=Results=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Libertarian primary results

}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Neil Harmon

| party = Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

| votes = 769

| percentage = 100.0%

}}{{Election box total no change

| votes = 769

| percentage = 100.0%

}}{{Election box end}}

General election

=Predictions=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

!Source

!Ranking

!As of

align=left | Sabato's Crystal Ball{{cite web |title=Secretary of State and Attorney General: What to Watch for Next Week in Key Statewide Contests |url=https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/sos-and-ag-what-to-watch-for-next-week-in-key-statewide-contests/ |website=Sabato's Crystal Ball |date=November 3, 2022 |access-date=November 3, 2022}}

|{{USRaceRating|Tossup}}

|November 3, 2022

align="left" |Elections Daily{{cite web |title=Elections Daily Secretary of State Ratings |url=https://elections-daily.com/2022/11/07/elections-daily-secretary-of-state-ratings/ |last=Solomon |first=Zack |website=Elections Daily |date=November 7, 2022 |access-date=November 29, 2022}}

|{{USRaceRating|Lean|R|Flip}}

|November 7, 2022

=Polling=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"

valign=bottom

! Poll source

! Date(s)
administered

! Sample
size{{efn|name="Key"}}

! Margin
of error

! style="width:100px;"| Doug
La Follette (D)

! style="width:100px;"| Amy
Loudenbeck (R)

! Other

! Undecided

style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|CNN/SSRS[https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23178929/cnn-poll-on-wisconsin.pdf CNN/SSRS]

|rowspan="2"|October 13–17, 2022

|905 (RV)

|± 4.2%

|{{party shading/Democratic}}|47%

|46%

|6%{{efn|"Neither" with 4%; "Other" with 2%}}

|1%

714 (LV)

|± 4.5%

|{{party shading/Democratic}}|49%

|48%

|2%{{efn|"Neither" with 1%; "Other" with 1%}}

|1%

=Results=

{{Election box begin

| title = 2022 Wisconsin Secretary of State election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party of Wisconsin

| candidate = Doug La Follette (incumbent)

| votes = 1,268,748

| percentage = 48.30%

| change = -4.44%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party of Wisconsin

| candidate = Amy Loudenbeck

| votes = 1,261,306

| percentage = 48.01%

| change = +0.83%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

| candidate = Neil Harmon

| votes = 54,413

| percentage = 2.07%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Wisconsin Green Party

| candidate = Sharyl R. McFarland

| votes = 41,532

| percentage = 1.58%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link

| votes = 944

| percentage = 0.04%

| change = -0.04%

}}

{{Election box plurality

| votes = 7,442

| percentage = 0.28%

| change = -5.16%

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 2,626,943

| percentage = 100.0%

| change = -1.87%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

|winner = Democratic Party of Wisconsin

}}

==By congressional district==

Despite losing the state, Loudenbeck won 6 of 8 congressional districts.{{cite web |year=2022 |title=Ward by Ward Report by Congressional District - Secretary of State |website=Wisconsin Elections Commission |url=https://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Ward%20by%20Ward%20Report%20by%20Congressional%20District%20-%20Secretary%20of%20State.xlsx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127030015/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Ward%20by%20Ward%20Report%20by%20Congressional%20District%20-%20Secretary%20of%20State.xlsx |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |url-status=live |quote=Spreadsheet download }}

class=wikitable

! District

! La Follette

! Loudenbeck

! Representative

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|1|1st}}

| 46%

| 50%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Bryan Steil

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|2|2nd}}

| 70%

| 26%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Mark Pocan

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|3|3rd}}

| rowspan=2|46%

| rowspan=2|50%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Ron Kind (117th Congress)

align=center

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Derrick Van Orden (118th Congress)

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|4|4th}}

| 75%

| 21%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Gwen Moore

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|5|5th}}

| 36%

| 61%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Scott L. Fitzgerald

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|6|6th}}

| 40%

| 56%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Glenn Grothman

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|7|7th}}

| 38%

| 58%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Tom Tiffany

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Wisconsin|8|8th}}

| 40%

| 56%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Mike Gallagher

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links

Official campaign websites (Archived)

[https://web.archive.org/web/20221028020648/https://douglafollette.com/ Doug La Follette (D) for Secretary of State]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20221028020649/https://www.voteamywi.com/ Amy Loudenbeck (R) for Secretary of State]

Secretary of State

Wisconsin

Category:Wisconsin Secretary of State elections