Zamarripa Wins Wisconsin Secretary of State Race

Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa defeated Republican Jay Schroeder and Green Party candidate Pete Karas to succeed Sarah Godlewski, who was elected lieutenant governor.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a simplified domed capitol silhouette in deep red and cream against a solid cream field. — Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa won Wisconsin's secretary of state race on Nov. 3, defeating Republican Jay Schroeder and Green Party candidate Pete Karas. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa won the Wisconsin secretary of state race on Nov. 3, defeating Republican Jay Schroeder and Green Party candidate Pete Karas. She succeeds outgoing Democratic Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, who was elected lieutenant governor.

Why it matters

Zamarripa is the first person not named Sarah Godlewski or Doug La Follette to hold the office in more than 40 years. Her priorities include adequately staffing the office and keeping election administration with the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

Zamarripa won the general election on Nov. 3, defeating two opponents for the position. The extraction does not provide vote tallies or margin figures, leaving the margin of victory unstated.

The players

JoCasta Zamarripa

Democrat who won the Wisconsin secretary of state race and previously served on the Milwaukee Common Council and in the state Assembly.

Sarah Godlewski

Outgoing Democratic Wisconsin secretary of state who was elected lieutenant governor.

Jay Schroeder

Republican who ran for Wisconsin secretary of state and previously served two terms on the Menomonie City Council.

The details

Zamarripa, 50, served two terms on the Milwaukee Common Council and represented the 8th Assembly District for 10 years before public office, having worked as a nonprofit professional. Schroeder, 64, a former two-term Menomonie City Council member, campaigned on abolishing the Wisconsin Elections Commission and requiring identification for mail-in voting, while Karas, 67, a former Racine City Council member and small-business owner, pushed to make the office nonpartisan and move future elections to April.

Nov. 3, 2026: Voters elect Zamarripa as Wisconsin secretary of state.

Political Context

Zamarripa's win ends a run in which the office was held only by Sarah Godlewski or Doug La Follette for more than four decades. Schroeder's campaign for abolishing the Wisconsin Elections Commission reflects an ongoing Republican push to shift election administration to the secretary of state.

Zamarripa's office will oversee authentication of Wisconsin documents and public access to official state records, with her stated priority being adequate staffing. Voters should note that the Wisconsin Elections Commission remains in charge of elections under her stated plans.

The takeaway

The outcome changes who runs the state's record-keeping and document-authentication functions, while election administration stays with the Wisconsin Elections Commission under Zamarripa's stated plans. Readers tracking state government should watch how the office is staffed in the coming months.