Wisconsin Treasurer

	Wisconsin Treasurer
	; ; ;
	General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$72,551
2025 FY Budget:	$1,523,584,500
Term limits:	None
	Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Wisconsin State Code, Chapter 14.56
Selection Method:	Elected
	Current Officeholder(s)
	Wisconsin Treasurer John Leiber; Republican Party; Assumed office: January 2, 2023
	Elections
Next election:	November 3, 2026
Last election:	November 8, 2022
	Other Wisconsin Executive Offices
	Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

The Wisconsin Treasurer is an elected executive position in the Wisconsin state government. The treasurer is responsible for sitting on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, providing services to promote the unclaimed property program, and making certified copies of deeds, bonds, and documents filed in the treasurer's office.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Since 1995, the duties of the state treasurer have gradually been eliminated or shifted to other state agencies. In order to amend the Wisconsin Constitution to eliminate the state treasurer's office, the state legislature must first approve an amendment in two successive legislative sessions. Following approval by the state legislature, voters must then approve the amendment through a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.^[4]

On October 27, 2015, the Wisconsin State Assembly approved an amendment to remove 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.^[5]

The amendment was introduced in the 2017 legislative session as Assembly Joint Resolution 2 and Senate Joint Resolution 3 (SJR 3). SJR 3 was approved by both chambers of the Wisconsin State Legislature, meaning the Wisconsin Elimination of State Treasurer Amendment appeared before voters on April 3, 2018.^[4]^[6]^[7] Voters rejected the amendment, voting to keep the position of state treasurer.

Current officeholder

The current Wisconsin Treasurer is John Leiber (R). Leiber assumed office in 2023.

Authority

The treasurer's office is authorized by Chapter 14.56 of the Wisconsin state code.^[2]

Chapter 14.56:

Office of state treasurer; creation. There is created an office of the state treasurer under the direction and supervision of the state treasurer.

Qualifications

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that establishes the requirements necessary to qualify for a state executive office. That information for the Wisconsin Treasurer has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

Vacancies

Chapter 17.19(4) of the Wisconsin state code addresses vacancies in the office of treasurer. In the event of a vacancy for any reason, the governor shall appoint a successor to serve until a special election can be held. If no such election is held, the appointee holds office for the remainder of the unexpired term.^[8]

Duties

The Wisconsin Treasurer is responsible for sitting on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, providing services to promote the unclaimed property program, and making certified copies of deeds, bonds, and documents filed in the treasurer's office.^[2]

The specific duties of the treasurer are outlined in Chapter 14.58 of the Wisconsin state code.^[2]

“

Chapter 14.58 - Duties. The state treasurer shall:

(1). Sign checks, share drafts, and other drafts. Sign checks, share drafts, and other drafts on depositories in which moneys may be deposited in one of the following methods:

(a) By the state treasurer personally.

(c) In the name of the state treasurer, by any clerk in the treasurer's office designated by the treasurer.

(d) By placing on a check, share draft or other draft the facsimile signature of the state treasurer adopted by him or her as a facsimile signature. Any depository shall be fully warranted and protected in making payment on any check, share draft or other draft bearing such facsimile notwithstanding that the facsimile may have been placed on the check, share draft or other draft without the state treasurer's authority.

(4). Unclaimed property program. Provide services related to the promotion of the unclaimed property program under ch. 177 in consultation with the secretary of revenue.

(7). Permit examination of books. Permit at all times inspection and examination of the books, papers and transactions of the treasurer's office by the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, department of administration or state auditor, or by the legislature, any committee thereof or either house thereof.

(11). Make certified copies. Make a certified copy of any deed, bond, document or paper filed in the treasurer's office, and transcripts from the books and records kept therein, when required by any person so to do; and collect therefore 25 cents per folio, and $1 for such certificate.

(14). Other duties. Perform all other duties imposed upon the state treasurer by law.^[9]

”

The Wisconsin Constitution also requires the treasurer to serve on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which is responsible for generating investment income for public school libraries, making loans to municipalities and school districts, managing state trust lands for timber management, and archiving land records.^[10]

The constitutional duties of the treasurer are outlined in Section 3 of Article VI and Section 7 of Article X of the Wisconsin Constitution.^[3]

“

Article VI. Section 3. The powers, duties, and compensation of the treasurer and attorney general shall be prescribed by law.

Article X. Section 7. The secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general, shall constitute a board of commissioners for the sale of the school and university lands and for the investment of the funds arising therefrom. Any two of said commissioners shall be a quorum for the transaction of all business pertaining to the duties of their office.^[9]

”

Elections

According to Article 6 of the state Constitution, the treasurer is elected every four years, in mid-term election years, to a four-year term. In Wisconsin, the treasurer is elected in 2010, 2014, and 2018.

2022

See also: Wisconsin Treasurer election, 2022

General election

General election for Wisconsin Treasurer

John Leiber defeated Aaron Richardson and Andrew Zuelke in the general election for Wisconsin Treasurer on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	John Leiber (R)	49.6	1,293,553
	Aaron Richardson (D)	48.1	1,254,949
	Andrew Zuelke (Constitution Party)	2.2	57,333
	Other/Write-in votes	0.0	1,268

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,607,103
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wisconsin Treasurer

Aaron Richardson defeated Gillian Battino and Angelito Tenorio in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin Treasurer on August 9, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Aaron Richardson	38.4	168,905
	Gillian Battino	36.4	159,902
	Angelito Tenorio	25.2	111,012

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 439,819
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Dawn Marie Sass (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wisconsin Treasurer

John Leiber defeated Orlando Owens in the Republican primary for Wisconsin Treasurer on August 9, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	John Leiber	65.8	357,384
	Orlando Owens	34.2	186,084

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 543,468
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Constitution primary election

Constitution primary for Wisconsin Treasurer

Andrew Zuelke advanced from the Constitution primary for Wisconsin Treasurer on August 9, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Andrew Zuelke	92.4	230
	Other/Write-in votes	7.6	19

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 249
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