Wisconsin Secretary of State election, 2014
2018→ ←2010 |
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August 12, 2014 |
November 4, 2014 |
Douglas LaFollette  |
Douglas LaFollette |
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Governor •Lt. Governor •Secretary of State •Attorney General Down Ballot Treasurer |
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TheWisconsin Secretary of State election took place onNovember 4, 2014. IncumbentDouglas La Follette (D) was first elected in 1982 andwon re-election in2014.
Aprimary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Wisconsin utilizes anopen primary system; registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[1]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, seethis article.
La Follette faced three challengers in the general election including Republican candidateJulian Bradley,Constitution Party candidateJerry Broitzman andLibertarian Party candidateAndy Craig. Learn more about the positions taken by the candidates by jumping to thecampaign themes section. This page also features apolls section with results from a handful of polls taken in this race along with apast elections section that features vote totals from the three previous races for Wisconsin Secretary of State.
Candidates
General election
Doug La Follette -Incumbent
[2]
Julian Bradley[3]
Jerry Broitzman -Constitution Party candidate[3]
Andy Craig -Libertarian candidate[4]
Lost in primary
Withdrew
Jay Schroeder[6][7][3]Bill Folk[6][8][9]Rohn Bishop[10][5]
Results
General election
| Secretary of State of Wisconsin, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Doug La FolletteIncumbent | 50% | 1,161,113 | |
| Republican | Julian Bradley | 46.3% | 1,074,835 | |
| Libertarian | Andy Craig | 2.5% | 58,996 | |
| Constitution | Jerry Broitzman | 1.1% | 25,744 | |
| Nonpartisan | Scattering | 0.1% | 1,347 | |
| Total Votes | 2,322,035 | |||
| Election results viaWisconsin Government Accountability Board | ||||
Primary election
Democratic primary
IncumbentDemocratDoug La Follette won re-nomination without opposition.
Republican primary
| Wisconsin Secretary of State Republican Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Julian Bradley | 64.8% | 138,569 | ||
| Garey Bies | 35.2% | 75,379 | ||
| Total Votes | 213,948 | |||
| Election results viaWisconsin Government Accountability Board. | ||||
Race background
IncumbentDemocratDoug La Follette faced Republican challengerJulian Bradley and two third-party candidates,Constitution Party candidateJerry Broitzman andLibertarian Party candidateAndy Craig, in thegeneral election forWisconsin Secretary of State. La Follette had held this seat since 1983. During his time in office, thepowers of the Secretary of State's office had been reduced by theWisconsin Legislature.[11]
BothRepublican primary candidates, Bradley andState RepresentativeGarey Bies, argued that the office had become ceremonial and that the current state was unacceptable. While Bies wanted to eliminate the office and give its remaining powers to other agencies, Bradley's platform was to reform the office and regain its former powers.[11][12]
Campaign themes
All four candidates for Wisconsin Secretary of State provided answers to a questionnaire published by the League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc. Candidates were asked their priorities for the position and questions about the future of the office. The following sections provide the candidate responses to these questions verbatim:
Julian Bradley
| “ | 1. Please describe your priorities for your term in office and your specific qualifications to effectively address those issues. I have 3 major priorities for the office. I want to reform the office by running an active and transparent office. I want to restore not just responsibilities to the office, but faith in it as well. And I want to rebuild the bridges that have been burned to the other branches of state government. I currently work in management for a Fortune 150 company where I have a staff that is larger than the staff in the Secretary of State's office. I know what it's going to take to turn this office around. It's going to take a clear vision by a proven leader. That's what I bring to the table. 2. There have been proposals to merge the functions of this office into other state agencies. If you believe this constitutional office is still relevant, explain why. If not, explain how the functions could most efficiently be taken over by other agencies. I've maintained my position that the problem isn't the office, the problem is the current office holder. That's the only thing that needs to be removed. Our state's founders had a vision for our government that included a Secretary of State. There is so much potential for this office to play an integral role in state government, just as it does in Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, and the majority of the country. As your next Secretary of State, I am up to the task of taking this office from being one with great potential, to being one with great value for the people of Wisconsin.[13] | ” |
| —League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc. | ||
Jerry Broitzman
| “ | 1. Please describe your priorities for your term in office and your specific qualifications to effectively address those issues. My first priority is to talk with the elected members of the Assembly and Senate to give my perspective on why the restoration of duties to the office would be a positive move. Given my experience as an elected representative, appointed official and years of private-sector business experience, I have the necessary political and diplomatic acumen to get things done. I am confident that enough members of both chambers would agree with my perspective and vote accordingly. 2. There have been proposals to merge the functions of this office into other state agencies. If you believe this constitutional office is still relevant, explain why. If not, explain how the functions could most efficiently be taken over by other agencies. The duties of the office have been stripped away by the legislature over the years, but the duties have not gone away. Instead, they have been reassigned to unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. I want to restore the legitimate duties to the office, as they were originally intended in the Wisconsin State Constitution. This would provide more checks and balances, which is badly needed in our state government.[13] | ” |
| —League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc. | ||
Andy Craig
| “ | 1. Please describe your priorities for your term in office and your specific qualifications to effectively address those issues. As Secretary of State, I will use the position to advocate overdue, nonpartisan constitutional reforms to state government, including abolishing marginalized, do-little offices like Secretary of State. I support nonpartisan redistricting, instant run-off voting, statewide initiative and referendum, increasing the size of the Assembly, and establishing an elected Commissioner of Lands and Resources. I would also be a consistent and outspoken voice for freedom, reason, and reform to the Legislature and Governor, which would not take place under either a Rep. or Dem. Secretary of State. 2. There have been proposals to merge the functions of this office into other state agencies. If you believe this constitutional office is still relevant, explain why. If not, explain how the functions could most efficiently be taken over by other agencies. Wisconsin decided correctly that an elected official should not be in charge of elections, leaving the Sec'y with little to justify its existence. Thus I support the proposal to abolish the Secretary of State, as other states have already done. Instead of an obsolete relic of the 19th Century, I would advocate for establishing an elected Executive Council to check one-man rule. During my term, I would minimize costs through decentralization and automation, before transferring the small remainder to those agencies (LRB, GAB, DNR, and Att'y Gen.) which already handle similar responsibilities.[13] | ” |
| —League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc. | ||
Doug La Follette
| “ | 1. Please describe your priorities for your term in office and your specific qualifications to effectively address those issues. To continue to maintain the office and serve the people of Wisconsin. Be available to citizens who need assistance. And work to restore the important responsibilities to the office so Wisconsin will be like all other states and better able to compete. 2. There have been proposals to merge the functions of this office into other state agencies. If you believe this constitutional office is still relevant, explain why. If not, explain how the functions could most efficiently be taken over by other agencies. It is not only relevant but for the future good of our State the important responsibilities that have been removed and are located in the offices of Secretaries of State in most all other states should be restored. This would allow Wisconsin to compete and make it easier for people to obtain the information they need.[13] | ” |
| —League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc. | ||
Polls
| Wisconsin Secretary of State | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Doug LaFollette (D) | Julian Bradley (R) | Other/Unsure | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||||||
| Gravis Marketing October 3-4, 2014 | 44% | 43% | 13% | +/-3 | 837 | ||||||||||||||
| Gravis Marketing July 31-August 3, 2014 | 46% | 39% | 15% | +/-3 | 1,346 | ||||||||||||||
| AVERAGES | 45% | 41% | 14% | +/-3 | 1,091.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email toeditor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign finance
Comprehensive donor information for this election has been collected by Follow the Money. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of$75,449 during the election. This information was last updated on January 20, 2015.[15]
| Campaign Contribution Totals | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| Julian Bradley | Wisconsin Secretary of State |  | $73,533 | |
| Douglas La Follette | Wisconsin Secretary of State |  | $4,372 | |
| Jerry Broitzman | Wisconsin Secretary of State | | $−2,456 | |
| Andy Craig | Wisconsin Secretary of State | | $0 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $75,449 | |||
Past elections
2010
On November 2, 2010, Douglas La Follette won re-election to the office of Wisconsin Secretary of State. He defeatedDavid D. King in the general election.
| Wisconsin Secretary of State, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Douglas La FolletteIncumbent | 51.6% | 1,074,118 | |
| Republican | David D. King | 48.3% | 1,005,217 | |
| - | Scattering | 0.1% | 1,863 | |
| Total Votes | 2,081,198 | |||
| Election results viaWisconsin Government Accountability Board. | ||||
2006
| Wisconsin Secretary of State, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Douglas La FolletteIncumbent | 57.1% | 1,184,720 | |
| Republican | Sandy Sullivan | 38.4% | 796,686 | |
| Green | Michael LaForest | 4.5% | 92,587 | |
| - | Scattering | 0.1% | 1,412 | |
| Total Votes | 2,075,405 | |||
| Election results viaWisconsin Government Accountability Board | ||||
2002
On November 5, 2002, Douglas La Follette won re-election to the office of Wisconsin Secretary of State. He defeated Robert Gerald Lorge (R) and Edward J. Frami (C) in the general election.
| Wisconsin Secretary of State, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Douglas La FolletteIncumbent | 56.6% | 950,929 | |
| Republican | Robert Gerald Lorge | 41.3% | 693,476 | |
| Constitution | Edward J. Frami | 2.1% | 34,750 | |
| - | Scattering | 0.1% | 1,009 | |
| Total Votes | 1,680,164 | |||
| Election results viaWisconsin Government Accountability Board. | ||||
Key deadlines
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2, 2014 | Filing deadline |
| August 12, 2014 | Primary election |
| November 4, 2014 | General election |
| December 1, 2014 | Certification of results |
| January 5, 2015 | State executives inaugurated |
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Wisconsin + Secretary + elections"
See also
- Wisconsin Secretary of State
- Wisconsin state executive official elections, 2014
- State executive official elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 5.62," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑WBAY, "Republican Bishop announces Secretary of State run," May 14, 2013
- ↑3.03.13.2Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office," February 17, 2014(dead link)
- ↑Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "CERTIFICATE OF NOMINATION," accessed July 4, 2014
- ↑5.05.1The Daily Cardinal, "Rep. Garey Bies runs for Secretary of State," March 25, 2014
- ↑6.06.1Wisconsin Election Watch, "Secretary of State Candidate Backs Representative Schraa’s Plan to Eliminate the Office," January 21, 2014
- ↑Wisconsin Election Watch, "Jay Schroeder to Run for Wisconsin Secretary of State," January 21, 2014
- ↑The Journal Times, "Republican Party chairman running for Secretary of State," January 21, 2014
- ↑Pioneer Press, "Wisconsin: Republican drops out of secretary of state race," May 29, 2014
- ↑WisPolitics, "Bishop running for Secretary of State," May 4, 2013
- ↑11.011.1THOnline, "Bradley wins GOP primary for Wisconsin secretary of state," August 12, 2014
- ↑Julian Bradley for Secretary of State, "Platform," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑13.013.113.213.3Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑14.014.114.214.3League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc., "Wisconsin Secretary of State," accessed October 14, 2014
- ↑Follow the Money, "Overview of Wisconsin 2014 elections," accessed January 20, 2015
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