

There was recently a great post by San Francisco’s Ballot Access News, founded and run by election expert Richard Winger, on a state referendum to determine to keep a system of public elections for state treasurer. This an issue that touches on the ability of voters to decide on important economic matters at a state level in a specific area where representative democracy is said to have advantages:

On April 3, the voters of Wisconsin voted by a 61%-39% margin to continue electing a partisan state office, Treasurer. The legislature had put a ballot measure on the ballot to abolish the office.

Having the Treasurer’s election continue in existence makes it somewhat easier for parties to retain their status as qualified parties. Wisconsin defines a political party to be a group that polled 1% for any of the statewide offices. The only other partisan statewide state offices in Wisconsin are the team of Governor-Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General.

The website of Run For Office had a nice description of the traditional role of the Wisconsin Treasurer:

The treasurer is the state’s chief banker and responsible for managing Wisconsin’s unclaimed property program, a local government investment pool, and the Wisconsin College Savings Program. The Wisconsin Treasurer serves as the chief banking officer of the state. They are responsible for managing the unclaimed property program, college savings program, and a local government investment funds pool.

The following is a video from the local WisconsinEye Network with a discussion on the topic of a right to elect state treasurer position directly that was filmed on March 14. The discussion is hosted by Steve Walters with Former State Treasurer Jack Voight and Management Consultant Sarah Godlewski.

Jack Voight in particular is well known locally having served as the state treasurer in Wisconsin from 1995-2007 and for his public political endorsement of John Kasich for President in 2016. Kasich was even quoted with his own endorsement of Voight’s management of at the post of Treasurer of Wisconsin and his political career: Kasich said of Voight, “as Treasurer of Wisconsin, he successfully brought a higher level of accountability and fiscal sense to his state. He is a reformer and a remarkably dedicated public servant.”

The video is about 30 minutes. Take a look: