The state treasurer of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Thirty-six individuals have held the office since statehood. The incumbent is John Leiber, a Republican.
Election and term of office The state treasurer is elected on Election Day in November, and takes office on the first Monday of the next January. There is no limit to the number of terms a state treasurer may hold. From 1848 to 1968, the state treasurer was elected to a two-year term in the November general election. Since 1970, following ratification of a constitutional amendment in April 1967, the state treasurer has been elected to a four-year term.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the state treasurer, the governor may appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of the term. The state treasurer may be removed from office through an impeachment trial.
Powers and duties In Wisconsin, the state treasurer is the chief banker of state government, signing checks, share drafts, and other drafts drawn on state funds by the Department of Administration; this role extends to the State Investment Fund and the Public Employee Trust Fund, which are managed by independent state agencies. The state treasurer also makes certified copies of deeds, bonds, and other documents filed with his or her office and promotes Wisconsin's unclaimed property program. Furthermore, the state treasurer assists in the administration of the County Mining Investment Fund and receives and deposits payments for certain Great Lakes fisheries-related surcharges into the Conservation Fund. Occasional functions performed by the state treasurer include conducting training conferences for municipal clerks and treasurers, approving the amounts and sureties filed with the Department of Administration in connection to the Department of Revenue's receipt of paid income and franchise taxes, and acknowledging the satisfaction and discharge of certain mortgages involving the state.
Aside from the office's functional responsibilities, the state treasurer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Security Fund and of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands.
Reduction of powers and office dissolution attempts Since the 1990s, most duties vested in the state treasurer's office have gradually been eliminated or transferred to other state agencies. 1995 Wisconsin Act 27 eliminated the office's securities section, which had the responsibility of safekeeping securities purchased by the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. 1997 Wisconsin Act 27 transferred the Division of Trust Lands and Investment, which altogether comprises the staff of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, to the Wisconsin Department of Administration. Most notably, 2003 Wisconsin Act 33 transferred the cash and debt management functions of the state treasurer's office to the Department of Administration. Moreover, 2011 Wisconsin Act 32 transferred the state's version of a 529 plan, known as EdVest, to the Department of Administration. The same act also transferred the Local Government Investment Pool and corresponding management services functions to the Department of Administration. Later, 2013 Wisconsin Act 20 transferred the state treasurer's Unclaimed Property Program to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. As a result of these interagency transfers, the office of State Treasurer in Wisconsin is institutionally the weakest directly elected member of the National Association of State Treasurers, according to state-by-state analyses published by the Council of State Governments, and the only state treasurer nationwide not responsible for cash management.
On October 27, 2015, the Wisconsin State Assembly approved an amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution to abolish the state treasurer's office, Assembly Joint Resolution 5 (AJR 5), with 63 "yea" votes and 33 "nay" votes. The Wisconsin State Senate approved AJR 5 on January 20, 2016. The first approval of the amendment was enrolled on March 15, 2016. Because this measure was approved by both chambers of the Wisconsin State Legislature, the Wisconsin Elimination of State Treasurer Amendment was placed on the 2018 spring general election ballot on April 3, 2018.Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, "2015 Enrolled Joint Resolution 7: Constitutional Amendment Approved on First Consideration to Eliminate the Office of the State Treasurer," June 2016 The referendum was defeated, with 62% of voters statewide choosing to retain the office with a "no" vote against amending the constitution to eliminate the office.
List of state treasurers
+Number of state treasurers of Wisconsin by party affiliationPartyTreasurersRepublican23Democratic9Progressive1None1
This is a list of state treasurers of Wisconsin.
# Image State Treasurer Party Took office Left officeWhen there is no evidence to the contrary, it is assumed that state treasurers left office the same day their successors were sworn in. 1 Jairus C. Fairchild Democratic June 7, 1848 January 5, 1852 2 Edward H. Janssen Democratic January 5, 1852 January 7, 1856 3 Charles Kuehn Democratic January 7, 1856 January 4, 1858 4 Samuel D. Hastings Republican January 4, 1858 January 1, 1866 5 William E. Smith Republican January 1, 1866 January 3, 1870 6 Henry Baetz Republican January 3, 1870 January 5, 1874 7 Ferdinand Kuehn Democratic January 5, 1874 January 7, 1878 8 Richard Guenther Republican January 7, 1878 January 2, 1882 9 Edward C. McFetridge Republican January 2, 1882 January 3, 1887 10 Henry B. Harshaw Republican January 3, 1887 January 5, 1891 11 John Hunner Democratic January 5, 1891 January 7, 1895 12 Sewell A. Peterson Republican January 7, 1895 January 2, 1899 13 James O. Davidson Republican January 2, 1899 January 5, 1903 14 John J. KempfFailed to give the required bond. Republican January 5, 1903 July 30, 1904 15 Thomas M. PurtellAppointed to fill vacancy. Republican July 30, 1904 January 2, 1905 16 John J. Kempf Republican January 2, 1905 January 7, 1907 17 Andrew H. Dahl Republican January 7, 1907 January 6, 1913 18 Henry Johnson Republican January 6, 1913 January 1, 1923 19 Solomon Levitan Republican January 1, 1923 January 2, 1933 20 Robert K. Henry Democratic January 2, 1933 January 4, 1937 21 Solomon Levitan Progressive January 4, 1937 January 2, 1939 22 John M. SmithDied in office. Republican January 2, 1939 August 17, 1947 vacant August 17, 1947 August 19, 1947 23 John L. SondereggerResigned to become state insurance commissioner. Republican August 19, 1947 September 30, 1948 vacant September 30, 1948 October 1, 1948 24 Clyde M. JohnstonAppointed from staff. none October 1, 1948 January 3, 1949 25 Warren R. Smith Republican January 3, 1949 December 4, 1957 vacant December 4, 1957 December 5, 1957 26 Dena A. Smith Republican December 5, 1957 January 5, 1959 27 Eugene M. Lamb Democratic January 5, 1959 January 2, 1961 28 Dena A. Smith Republican January 2, 1961 February 20, 1968 vacant February 20, 1968 February 21, 1968 29 Harold W. Clemens Republican February 21, 1968 January 4, 1971 30 Charles P. Smith Democratic January 4, 1971 January 7, 1991 31 Cathy Zeuske Republican January 7, 1991 January 3, 1995 32 Jack Voight Republican January 3, 1995 January 3, 2007 33 Dawn Marie Sass Democratic January 3, 2007 January 3, 2011 34 Kurt W. Schuller Republican January 3, 2011 January 5, 2015 35 Matt Adamczyk Republican January 5, 2015 January 7, 2019 36 Sarah Godlewski Democratic January 7, 2019 January 2, 2023 37 John Leiber Republican January 3, 2023 Incumbent
Notes
See also Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands
References
External links Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund