Candidates vow secretary of state will have power

MADISON, Wis. — Candidates lining up to become Wisconsin’s next secretary of state want the Legislature to return duties to the nearly powerless position.

One candidate says state lawmakers should stop trying to eliminate the position and give back oversight of statewide elections.

Longtime Secretary of State Doug La Follette, a Democrat, says the state should give back most power but not the elections.

But the Republican-controlled Legislature appears to plan on moving forward with passing a constitutional amendment to end the position entirely. Voters would have to approve the amendment.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he plans to pass the amendment and also make changes to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections. Vos didn’t specify what changes would be.