Democrat La Follette Announces Bid For Secretary Of State

Democratic Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug La Follette says he is running for re-election to an 11th term.

The 77-year-old La Follette has been secretary of state since 1983 and served a four-year term in the 1970s as well. He announced his re-election bid Tuesday. No other Democrat and no Republican has registered to run.

The powers of the office have been greatly reduced in recent years. State agencies overseen by the governor have taken over licensing of corporations, notary services and other responsibilities typically held by the secretary of state.

He lost one of his few remaining responsibilities, the authority to publish bills signed into law by the governor, after he held up publication of Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s Act 10 law that curtailed collective bargaining for public workers.