The Wisconsin Secretary of State keeps the Great Seal of Wisconsin, maintains the official record of acts passed by the legislature and executive, stands in the line of succession to the governor, and authenticates Wisconsin documents for use in countries that are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention. Sarah Godlewski currently holds the office. Most of the duties people once associated with the position — business filings, notary commissions, election administration — have been moved to other state agencies, which is why the office now runs on an annual budget of roughly $282,000 and is one of the smallest in state government.
What the Office Still Handles
Article XIII, Section 4 of the Wisconsin Constitution places the Great Seal of Wisconsin in the Secretary of State’s custody.1Justia. Wisconsin Constitution Article XIII Section 4 – Great Seal The seal is affixed to enrolled legislation, executive commissions, and other instruments that require state authentication, and it is what makes Wisconsin’s official documents recognizable to other states and foreign governments.
Article VI assigns the office the duty to “keep a fair record of the official acts of the legislature and executive department of the state” and to make those records available to either chamber on request.2Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Constitution The term is four years, with no term limits, and the position pays $78,583.
Under Article V, Section 8, the Secretary of State sits in the gubernatorial line of succession behind the lieutenant governor.2Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Constitution This has not come up in modern Wisconsin history.
Authenticating Documents for Use Abroad
This is the most common reason a member of the public contacts the office. Wisconsin splits international document certification between two agencies based on where the document is going.
If your destination country belongs to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions issues the apostille, not the Secretary of State.3Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Apostille General Information If your destination country is not a Hague party, the Secretary of State issues a certificate called an authentication, which follows the older legalization process.4HCCH. Apostille Section The Hague Conference maintains the member list; check it first.
Either agency can authenticate documents bearing the signature and seal of a Wisconsin notary, a state registrar, or certain court and university officials.
How to Submit a Request
Every document needs an original signature and seal from an approved Wisconsin official or notary. The Secretary of State does not accept digital or electronic notarizations; only wet-ink stamps or embossed seals from a Wisconsin notary qualify.5Office of the Secretary of State. Apostilles and Authentications Photocopies are not accepted unless they are certified copies issued directly by the relevant government agency.
Orders are started through the office’s online portal. You pay through the portal, then mail your original documents to the office in the Capitol Building in Madison with a prepaid return envelope. Fees are:
- Standard service: $10 per document, 7 to 10 business days.
- Expedited service: $35 per document, 1 to 3 business days.
Payment is cash, check, or money order only. No credit cards. Checks and money orders go to the Wisconsin Secretary of State.5Office of the Secretary of State. Apostilles and Authentications
Walk-in service is available at the office on the basement level of the State Capitol. Expedited requests submitted in person are generally processed the same day. The office cannot make change for bills larger than $50.
Before attaching any certificate, staff verify that the notary’s commission or the registrar’s credentials match state records. If a signature does not check out, the document comes back unauthenticated. Confirm your notary’s commission is current before submitting.
What the Office No Longer Handles
Most functions people associate with a secretary of state in other jurisdictions have been moved elsewhere in Wisconsin.
Business Filings, Notary Commissions, and Trademarks
1995 Wisconsin Act 27 created the Department of Financial Institutions and transferred business organization filings — LLCs, corporations, partnerships — out of the Secretary of State’s office. The DFI also took over notary public commissions, trademark and service mark registrations, and apostille issuance for Hague Convention countries.3Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Apostille General Information Certificates of good standing for Wisconsin business entities come from the DFI.
Elections
The Secretary of State has no role in running Wisconsin elections. A 2015 legislative act created the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which began operating on June 30, 2016, and holds all election administration duties: voter registration, ballot design, election certification, and recounts.
Safe at Home Address Confidentiality
The Safe at Home program for victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, stalking, trafficking, and child abuse is run by the Wisconsin Department of Justice under Wisconsin Statutes Section 165.68, not the Secretary of State.6Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 165.68 – Address Confidentiality Program Participants receive an assigned substitute address, and the DOJ forwards first-class mail to the participant’s actual location at no cost.7Wisconsin Department of Justice. Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program Enrollment requires working with a designated application assistant, usually a victim services advocate. Contact the DOJ’s victim services division directly.
Municipal Boundary Records
Annexation records once filed with the Secretary of State are now filed with the secretary of administration under current statutes.8Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 66.0221 – Annexation of and Creation of Town Islands Historical municipal boundary files from the Secretary of State’s office are available through the Municipal Data System at mds.wi.gov, which the public can search for annexation records, boundary agreements, and corporate boundary changes.