Secretary of State Godlewski wants to improve election transparency, dismisses GOP calls for special election

 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Days into her new role as secretary of state, Sarah Godlewski suggested using the office to help increase transparency in elections, but downplayed Republican calls to hold a special election after Governor Tony Evers appointed her to the position.

"I don't think Wisconsinites even want another election," Godlewski said during an interview with CBS 58.

Earlier this month, Gov. Evers tapped Godlewski to take over the secretary of state office after the sudden resignation of Doug La Follette.

The office keeps the great seal of Wisconsin and since the 1990s, lost a significant amount of resources and funding, but despite that, Godlewski said she'd like to take on more responsibilities, such as, a "comprehensive way of looking at democracy."

"We know our local clerks have been attacked, and these are public servants that are doing everything they can to ensure every vote counts," Godlewski said. "I would love to figure out how can I help, for example, with democracy and our clerks."

When asked if she wants the office to have more duties overseeing elections, Godlewski said the bipartisan Wisconsin Election Commission is "doing a great job holding free and fair elections."

"But I do I think there are other ways we can help, whether it's figuring out how can we make sure people are able to get to the polls. What are ways we can help with transparency and accountability?"

Her comments come after Democrats criticized Republicans after they floated transferring the commission's duties to the secretary of state's office ahead of the 2022 midterms.

Expanding the office's powers became a central issue in the race between La Follette and his Republican challenger Amy Loudenbeck,  who said she was open to the office managing aspects of elections.

The 82-year-old said he decided to run for reelection to prevent Republicans from taking over elections and attempting to overturn a Democratic presidential victory in 2024, but after defeating Loudenbeck by about 7,500 votes in November, La Follette wrote in his resignation it was due to a lack of resources in the office.

Godlewski's interest in elections comes as she's faced mounting criticism from Republicans, who recently passed a resolution calling on Evers to hold a special election for the position. State law doesn't require a governor to call a special election, but he does have the authority to do so. Evers said he has no intentions of calling one.

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said if Godlewski was interested in "transparency and integrity" she should have been elected to office.

"This is another example of Godlewski using her position as an unelected official campaigning on issues that have no relationship to her office," LeMahieu said in a statement. "She should have taken the position on an interim basis and then ran as a candidate to allow the Wisconsin voters to choose their secretary of state. Governor Evers needs to call a special election."

Godlewski dismissed Republicans' frustration.

"This is the exact thing that Wisconsin gets sick of. The partisan politics," she said. "We have a pretty competitive election here on April 4, and to think we are going to go through this again, which is going to cost the taxpayers millions of dollars…they just want their elected officials to come to Madison and serve, and that's exactly what I'm doing."

Political Future

Godlewski, who is coming off the heels of an unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid last year and previously serving as state treasurer from 2019-2023, said she has no plans to run for governor in 2026 or higher office right now.

"No, I'm really looking forward to serving the people of Wisconsin in this role and that's exactly what I'm focused on," she said.

When asked if she would pledge to not run for higher office, Godlewski did not commit.

La Follete's abrupt resignation after serving less than three months of his 11th consecutive term left some Republicans questioning the timing of his departure and whether there were plans to find his replacement months ago.

In his resignation letter, La Follete said he was frustrated and decided to leave because he didn’t want to run an office "without adequate resources and staffing levels," after serving in the role since 1983.

Republicans have accused Evers of coordinating Godlewski's appointment, which Evers dismissed.

Evers referenced how Republicans didn't give him any pushback after he appointed Carolyn Stanford Taylor as state superintendent of public instruction, a position Evers previously held before being elected to his first term in 2019.

"There was no collusion, he [La Follette] brought my office a letter saying I'm sick of this stuff," Evers said last week. "He left and I appointed a completely competent person to do the work."

Statewide Tour

Godlewski did not provide specifics on what else she envisions doing with the office, but said she'd be launching a statewide tour to listen to clerks, local elected officials and Wisconsinites.

The 41-year-old is the third woman to serve as secretary of state in Wisconsin history.