Wisconsin. Office of the Secretary of State

The Office of Secretary of State was created by the Wisconsin Constitution, Article VI, Sections 1 and 2. It assumed many of the duties of the Territorial Secretary (WIHV87-A1623).

The Secretary of State files public documents of the state, records matters relating to the organization of corporations and cooperatives, issues municipal charters, maintains a file of statements submitted pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code, regulates lobbying, registers tradenames and trademarks, and issues notaries public commissions. The office formerly was also responsible for registering motor vehicles (1905-1939), licensing drivers (1927-1939), administering the state census (1848-1905), preparing the state budget (1848-1913), supervising the assessment and collection of inheritance taxes (1899-1911), issuing peddler's licenses (1868-1917), administering the state's election laws (1848-1973), acting as the state's auditor (1848-1946), and regulating insurance companies (1870-1878).

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