1978 Wisconsin Secretary of State election

The 1978 Wisconsin Secretary of State election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the Secretary of State of Wisconsin. Incumbent Democrat Doug La Follette declined to seek re-election, instead running in the primary for Lieutenant Governor. Milwaukee Alderwoman and civil rights activist Vel Phillips was nominated in a field of 9 candidates and defeated Republican Frederic A. Seefeldt. Her election made her the first African American to be elected to a statewide office in Wisconsin.

1978 Wisconsin Secretary of State election

← 1974 November 7, 1978 1982 →
 
Nominee Vel Phillips Frederic A. Seefeldt
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 697,945 663,474
Percentage 50.4% 47.9%

Phillips:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      80–90%
Seefeldt:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Secretary of State before election

Doug La Follette
Democratic

Elected Secretary of State

Vel Phillips
Democratic

Democratic primary

edit

Candidates

edit

Nominee

edit
  • Vel Phillips, former Milwaukee Alderwoman and civil rights activist

Eliminated in primary

edit
  • Harvey J. Cooper
  • Ada Deer, Native American activist and scholar
  • Michael Jaliman
  • Janet Soergel Mielke, former state representative and union officer
  • Jan A. Olson
  • Thomas F. St. John
  • Benjamin Southwick
  • Rita Wlodarczyk, former staffer for Frank Zeidler's mayoral campaign

Results

edit
 
Results by county:
  Phillips
  •   10–20%
  •   20–30%
  •   30–40%
  Deer
  •   10–20%
  •   20–30%
  •   30–40%
  •   70–80%
  Southwick
  •   10–20%
  •   20–30%
  •   40–50%
  Wlodarczyk
  •   10–20%
  •   20–30%
  Mielke
  •   10–20%
  •   50–60%
  Phillips–Deer Tie
  •   10-20%
Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Vel Phillips 78,797 25.58%
Democratic Ada Deer 46,696 15.16%
Democratic Benjamin Southwick 37,791 12.27%
Democratic Harvey J. Cooper 31,444 10.21%
Democratic Jan A. Olson 31,027 10.07%
Democratic Rita Wlodarczyk 30,473 9.89%
Democratic Janet Soergel Mielke 25,251 8.20%
Democratic Thomas F. St. John 14,182 4.60%
Democratic Michael Jaliman 12,315 3.40%
Total votes 307,976 100.0%

Republican primary

edit
  • Frederic A. Seefeldt ran unopposed in the primary

Constitution primary

edit
  • George A. Myers ran unopposed in the primary

General election

edit

Results

edit
1978 Wisconsin Secretary of State election[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Vel Phillips 697,945 50.37% %
Republican Frederic A. Seefeldt 663,474 47.88% %
Constitution George A. Meyers 24,272 1.75% %
Plurality 34,471 2.49% -%
Total votes 1,385,691 100.0% -%
Democratic hold

References

edit
  1. ^ "Vote for State Officers by County - primary". University of Wisconsin Madison - Libraries.
  2. ^ "Vote for State Officers by County - general". University of Wisconsin Madison - Libraries.