2022 Wisconsin Secretary of State election
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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.
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November 8, 2022
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   La Follette: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Loudenbeck: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No data | |||||||||||||||||
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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.[1][2][3]
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.[3][4]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Doug La Follette, incumbent secretary of state[4]
Eliminated in primary
- Alexia Sabor, chair of the Dane County Democratic Party[5]
Endorsements
Alexia Sabor
Statewide officials
- Barbara Lawton, former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin (2003–2011)[6]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Doug La Follette |
Alexia Sabor |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change Research (D)[7][A] | July 1–7, 2022 | 560 (LV) | ± 4.6% | 42% | 9% | 43% |
Results
La Follette
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Doug La Follette (incumbent) | 300,773 | 63.63% | |
| Democratic | Alexia Sabor | 171,954 | 36.37% | |
| Total votes | 472,727 | 100.0% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Withdrew before primary
Endorsements
Amy Loudenbeck
U.S. Representatives
- Bryan Steil, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 1st congressional district[12]
- Tom Tiffany, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 7th congressional district[13]
Statewide officials
- Ben Brancel, former Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (2011–2017)[12]
- Scott McCallum, former Governor of Wisconsin (2001–2003)[12]
- Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin (1987–2001)[13]
- Cathy "Cate" Zeuske, former State Treasurer of Wisconsin 1991–1995)[13]
State legislators
Individuals
- Dmitry Becker, former opponent in primary[11]
- Diane Hendricks, co-founder and chair of ABC Supply[13]
Organizations
- Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police[15]
- Wisconsin Grocers Association[16]
- Wisconsin Young Republicans[17]
Jay Schroeder
State legislators
- Jim Marchant, former Nevada assemblyman (2016–2018), Republican nominee for Nevada secretary of state in 2022[18]
Declined to endorse
Organizations
Results
Loudenbeck
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
Schroeder
- 40–50%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Amy Loudenbeck | 264,940 | 46.32% | |
| Republican | Jay Schroeder | 228,191 | 39.90% | |
| Republican | Justin Daniel Schmidtka | 78,846 | 13.78% | |
| Total votes | 571,977 | 100.0% | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Neil Harmon[9]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libertarian | Neil Harmon | 769 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 769 | 100.0% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[20] | Tossup | November 3, 2022 |
| Elections Daily[21] | Lean R (flip) | November 7, 2022 |
Polling
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Doug La Follette (incumbent) | 1,268,748 | 48.30% | −4.44% | |
| Republican | Amy Loudenbeck | 1,261,306 | 48.01% | +0.83% | |
| Libertarian | Neil Harmon | 54,413 | 2.07% | N/A | |
| Green | Sharyl R. McFarland | 41,532 | 1.58% | N/A | |
| Write-in | 944 | 0.04% | -0.04% | ||
| Total votes | 2,626,943 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
By county
| County[24] | Doug La Follette Democratic |
Amy Loudenbeck Republican |
Various candidates Other parties |
Margin | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 3,540 | 35.96% | 5,940 | 60.34% | 365 | 3.71% | −2,400 | −24.38% | 9,845 |
| Ashland | 3,777 | 54.63% | 2,842 | 41.11% | 295 | 4.27% | 935 | 13.52% | 6,914 |
| Barron | 7,079 | 35.29% | 12,322 | 61.43% | 658 | 3.28% | −5,243 | −26.14% | 20,059 |
| Bayfield | 5,131 | 55.53% | 3,811 | 41.24% | 298 | 3.23% | 1,320 | 14.29% | 9,240 |
| Brown | 49,962 | 44.33% | 58,303 | 51.73% | 4,443 | 3.94% | −8,341 | −7.40% | 112,708 |
| Buffalo | 2,216 | 36.39% | 3,645 | 59.86% | 228 | 3.74% | −1,429 | −23.47% | 6,089 |
| Burnett | 2,814 | 34.39% | 5,145 | 62.88% | 223 | 2.73% | −2,331 | −28.49% | 8,182 |
| Calumet | 9,331 | 37.73% | 14,572 | 58.91% | 831 | 3.36% | −5,241 | −21.19% | 24,734 |
| Chippewa | 11,190 | 38.76% | 16,519 | 57.22% | 1,159 | 4.01% | −5,329 | −18.46% | 28,868 |
| Clark | 3,522 | 30.46% | 7,642 | 66.10% | 397 | 3.43% | −4,120 | −35.64% | 11,561 |
| Columbia | 13,102 | 48.33% | 12,980 | 47.88% | 1,028 | 3.79% | 122 | 0.45% | 27,110 |
| Crawford | 3,226 | 46.46% | 3,484 | 50.17% | 234 | 3.37% | −258 | −3.72% | 6,944 |
| Dane | 222,397 | 74.71% | 63,324 | 21.27% | 11,955 | 4.02% | 159,073 | 53.44% | 297,676 |
| Dodge | 12,525 | 32.48% | 24,677 | 64.00% | 1,355 | 3.51% | −12,152 | −31.52% | 38,557 |
| Door | 8,451 | 49.22% | 8,187 | 47.68% | 531 | 3.09% | 264 | 1.54% | 17,169 |
| Douglas | 10,049 | 54.30% | 7,735 | 41.80% | 721 | 3.90% | 2,314 | 12.50% | 18,505 |
| Dunn | 7,655 | 41.64% | 9,950 | 54.12% | 780 | 4.24% | −2,295 | −12.48% | 18,385 |
| Eau Claire | 25,742 | 53.70% | 19,906 | 41.53% | 2,287 | 4.77% | 5,836 | 12.17% | 47,935 |
| Florence | 615 | 24.60% | 1,833 | 73.32% | 52 | 2.08% | −1,218 | −48.72% | 2,500 |
| Fond du Lac | 15,684 | 34.10% | 28,803 | 62.62% | 1,507 | 3.28% | −13,119 | −28.52% | 45,994 |
| Forest | 1,364 | 33.28% | 2,573 | 62.77% | 162 | 3.95% | −1,209 | −29.49% | 4,099 |
| Grant | 8,496 | 42.73% | 10,634 | 53.48% | 755 | 3.80% | −2,138 | −10.75% | 19,885 |
| Green | 8,839 | 50.94% | 7,860 | 45.30% | 652 | 3.76% | 979 | 5.64% | 17,351 |
| Green Lake | 2,579 | 29.96% | 5,758 | 66.89% | 271 | 3.15% | −3,179 | −36.93% | 8,608 |
| Iowa | 6,431 | 55.82% | 4,662 | 40.47% | 427 | 3.71% | 1,769 | 15.36% | 11,520 |
| Iron | 1,208 | 37.28% | 1,951 | 60.22% | 81 | 2.50% | −743 | −22.93% | 3,240 |
| Jackson | 3,283 | 41.31% | 4,352 | 54.76% | 312 | 3.93% | −1,069 | −13.45% | 7,947 |
| Jefferson | 15,566 | 40.70% | 21,220 | 55.49% | 1,458 | 3.81% | −5,654 | −14.78% | 38,244 |
| Juneau | 3,706 | 34.75% | 6,599 | 61.88% | 360 | 3.38% | −2,893 | −27.13% | 10,665 |
| Kenosha | 30,360 | 46.41% | 32,650 | 49.91% | 2,409 | 3.68% | −2,290 | −3.50% | 65,419 |
| Kewaunee | 3,361 | 34.21% | 6,155 | 62.65% | 309 | 3.15% | −2,794 | −28.44% | 9,825 |
| La Crosse | 29,488 | 54.13% | 22,391 | 41.11% | 2,593 | 4.76% | 7,097 | 13.03% | 54,472 |
| Lafayette | 2,846 | 43.72% | 3,474 | 53.37% | 189 | 2.90% | −628 | −9.65% | 6,509 |
| Langlade | 2,794 | 31.18% | 5,904 | 65.89% | 262 | 2.92% | −3,110 | −34.71% | 8,960 |
| Lincoln | 4,948 | 37.06% | 7,953 | 59.56% | 452 | 3.39% | −3,005 | −22.50% | 13,353 |
| Manitowoc | 13,461 | 37.91% | 20,767 | 58.49% | 1,280 | 3.60% | −7,306 | −20.58% | 35,508 |
| Marathon | 23,789 | 38.85% | 35,496 | 57.97% | 1,945 | 3.18% | −11,707 | −19.12% | 61,230 |
| Marinette | 5,743 | 31.27% | 12,048 | 65.59% | 577 | 3.14% | −6,305 | −34.33% | 18,368 |
| Marquette | 2,523 | 34.68% | 4,534 | 62.31% | 219 | 3.01% | −2,011 | −27.64% | 7,276 |
| Menominee | 904 | 75.08% | 253 | 21.01% | 47 | 3.90% | 651 | 54.07% | 1,204 |
| Milwaukee | 232,340 | 68.02% | 95,754 | 28.03% | 13,495 | 3.95% | 136,586 | 39.99% | 341,589 |
| Monroe | 6,410 | 37.18% | 10,223 | 59.30% | 607 | 3.52% | −3,813 | −22.12% | 17,240 |
| Oconto | 5,611 | 28.97% | 13,059 | 67.44% | 695 | 3.59% | −7,448 | −38.46% | 19,365 |
| Oneida | 8,139 | 40.57% | 11,215 | 55.90% | 709 | 3.53% | −3,076 | −15.33% | 20,063 |
| Outagamie | 36,455 | 42.90% | 45,216 | 53.20% | 3,314 | 3.90% | −8,761 | −10.31% | 84,985 |
| Ozaukee | 21,275 | 41.08% | 28,882 | 55.76% | 1,638 | 3.16% | −7,607 | −14.69% | 51,795 |
| Pepin | 1,183 | 36.03% | 1,985 | 60.46% | 115 | 3.50% | −802 | −24.43% | 3,283 |
| Pierce | 7,418 | 41.22% | 9,752 | 54.20% | 824 | 4.58% | −2,334 | −12.97% | 17,994 |
| Polk | 7,068 | 34.63% | 12,576 | 61.61% | 768 | 3.76% | −5,508 | −26.98% | 20,412 |
| Portage | 16,865 | 50.63% | 15,127 | 45.41% | 1,318 | 3.96% | 1,738 | 5.22% | 33,310 |
| Price | 2,477 | 35.32% | 4,303 | 61.35% | 234 | 3.34% | −1,826 | −26.03% | 7,014 |
| Racine | 36,151 | 44.70% | 41,781 | 51.67% | 2,934 | 3.63% | −5,630 | −6.96% | 80,866 |
| Richland | 3,141 | 45.05% | 3,592 | 51.52% | 239 | 3.43% | −451 | −6.47% | 6,972 |
| Rock | 34,044 | 52.59% | 28,588 | 44.16% | 2,104 | 3.25% | 5,456 | 8.43% | 64,736 |
| Rusk | 2,072 | 32.51% | 4,098 | 64.29% | 204 | 3.20% | −2,026 | −31.79% | 6,374 |
| Sauk | 14,243 | 49.65% | 13,440 | 46.85% | 1,005 | 3.50% | 803 | 2.80% | 28,688 |
| Sawyer | 3,525 | 41.40% | 4,783 | 56.18% | 206 | 2.42% | −1,258 | −14.78% | 8,514 |
| Shawano | 5,400 | 30.32% | 11,772 | 66.11% | 636 | 3.57% | −6,372 | −35.78% | 17,808 |
| Sheboygan | 20,974 | 39.60% | 30,003 | 56.65% | 1,984 | 3.75% | −9,029 | −17.05% | 52,961 |
| St. Croix | 17,041 | 38.90% | 24,836 | 56.70% | 1,928 | 4.40% | −7,795 | −17.79% | 43,805 |
| Taylor | 2,190 | 25.41% | 6,150 | 71.36% | 278 | 3.23% | −3,960 | −45.95% | 8,618 |
| Trempealeau | 4,827 | 39.68% | 6,884 | 56.59% | 453 | 3.72% | −2,057 | −16.91% | 12,164 |
| Vernon | 6,101 | 46.57% | 6,443 | 49.18% | 557 | 4.25% | −342 | −2.61% | 13,101 |
| Vilas | 4,732 | 36.12% | 8,008 | 61.13% | 360 | 2.75% | −3,276 | −25.01% | 13,100 |
| Walworth | 16,507 | 36.17% | 27,641 | 60.56% | 1,493 | 3.27% | −11,134 | −24.39% | 45,641 |
| Washburn | 3,042 | 36.68% | 4,986 | 60.12% | 266 | 3.21% | −1,944 | −23.44% | 8,294 |
| Washington | 21,041 | 28.70% | 50,072 | 68.30% | 2,203 | 3.00% | −29,031 | −39.60% | 73,316 |
| Waukesha | 81,432 | 36.74% | 133,635 | 60.29% | 6,584 | 2.97% | −52,203 | −23.55% | 221,651 |
| Waupaca | 7,522 | 32.64% | 14,734 | 63.93% | 791 | 3.43% | −7,212 | −31.29% | 23,047 |
| Waushara | 3,547 | 31.51% | 7,336 | 65.17% | 374 | 3.32% | −3,789 | −33.66% | 11,257 |
| Winnebago | 33,431 | 45.41% | 36,811 | 50.00% | 3,377 | 4.59% | −3,380 | −4.59% | 73,619 |
| Wood | 12,847 | 39.28% | 18,767 | 57.39% | 1,089 | 3.33% | −5,920 | −18.10% | 32,703 |
| Totals | 1,268,748 | 48.30% | 1,261,306 | 48.01% | 96,889 | 3.69% | 7,442 | 0.28% | 2,626,943 |
- Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Crawford (largest city: Prairie du Chien)
- Grant (largest city: Platteville)
- Jackson (largest city: Black River Falls)
- Kenosha (largest city: Kenosha)
- Lafayette (largest city: Darlington)
- Racine (largest city: Racine)
- Richland (largest city: Richland Center)
- Vernon (largest city: Viroqua)
- Winnebago (largest city: Oshkosh)
By congressional district
Despite losing the state, Loudenbeck won 6 of 8 congressional districts.[25]
| District | La Follette | Loudenbeck | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 46% | 50% | Bryan Steil |
| 2nd | 70% | 26% | Mark Pocan |
| 3rd | 46% | 50% | Ron Kind (117th Congress) |
| Derrick Van Orden (118th Congress) | |||
| 4th | 75% | 21% | Gwen Moore |
| 5th | 36% | 61% | Scott L. Fitzgerald |
| 6th | 40% | 56% | Glenn Grothman |
| 7th | 38% | 58% | Tom Tiffany |
| 8th | 40% | 56% | Mike Gallagher |