MADISON – Today, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) criticized the Governor for unilaterally filling the position of Secretary of State without an election by the citizens of Wisconsin after Secretary of State Doug LaFollete abruptly retired.
“Gov. Evers has repeatedly acted to subvert the normal course of elections in Wisconsin. He has already tried to cancel a regularly scheduled election mere days before voting, and is now denying Wisconsinites the chance to choose one of their statewide, elected office holders,” said Leader LeMahieu. “This suggests a pre-meditated action to award the power of incumbency to a partisan ally. It is an insult to voters of Wisconsin and our democratic process.”
Wis. Stat. 8.50(4)(c) gives the governor the authority to call a special election to fill this vacancy.
“I call on the Governor to immediately call a special election to give the people of Wisconsin the opportunity to select their representative to fill this vacancy,” said Leader LeMahieu.
To ensure continued operations of the office of the Secretary of State, Gov. Evers should appoint either current staff from the office of the Secretary of State should or a nonpartisan individual who will not run in the special election to be interim Secretary of State should be appointed until the special election is completed.
