Secretary Sarah Godlewski

08/07/2026

The Great Seal of Wisconsin and our coat of arms were last updated in 1881 under Secretary of State Hans Werner, and they remain some of the most enduring symbols of Wisconsin to this day! Check out this photo of a letter from our archives from Secretary Werner announcing the change.

08/05/2026

This last year, as part of our work with the BCPL, we were able to distribute a record-breaking $2.3 million to support scholarships and educational programming at the University of Wisconsin System from the Normal School Fund! From workforce development to research, conservation, and innovation, these investments help ensure the benefits of education extend far beyond a college campus and reach communities throughout Wisconsin.

07/31/2026

At a time when our schools are being asked to do more with less, the Office of the Secretary of State is proud to celebrate National Support Education Day. The work that our office is doing with the BCPL is helping our school libraries get access to critical learning resources, including books, technology, and other tools to create opportunities for students, regardless of zip code!

07/27/2026

My heart goes out to the people of Menasha and everyone impacted by today’s devastating tornado.

I’m thinking especially of those who were injured and the families whose homes, businesses, and lives have been disrupted.

In Wisconsin, we show up for one another. I’m grateful to the first responders, local officials, and neighbors who stepped up today — and who will continue to be there for our community in the days ahead.

07/27/2026

We are celebrating some record-setting year for the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands as we start our new fiscal year! Read more about it here:

Press Release: Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski Highlights Record-Setting BCPL Results as New Fiscal Year Begins State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 07/27/2026 02:30 PM CDT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/27/2026 [email protected] MADISON, Wis. – As the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands ...

07/27/2026

Connecting Wisconsin: Last week the BCPL supported the 9th broadband implementation in Door County.
Previously the BCPL has supported 8 projects totaling approximately $9 million dollars. Connecting people and powering progress, that is what it is all about!

07/24/2026

Happy National Intern Day on July 31st!

Interns are an important part of our office, and we love seeing them learn about public service. Shout out to one of our interns, Malia who is in our office this summer. Malia and Amelia have been an invaluable help on our records digitization project!

07/23/2026

What does 285 and road construction have in common? That’s the number of projects the BCPL has supported to improve roads. I am proud that since becoming Chair in 2019, we have assisted about 200 Wisconsin municipalities. Regardless of where you are in the state, we prioritize these projects because we know that roads are such an important part of community and daily life!

07/20/2026

The Seal That Says it All!
The Secretary of State is charged by Article XII, Section 4 of the state constitution to keep the Great Seal of Wisconsin to affix the Great Seal to all official acts of the governor and that isn’t just a statutory responsibility. The Office of the Secretary keeps and maintains the original Great Seal press from 1881, the year the seal was last changed! This press has sealed documents through 33 governorships, 20 Secretaries of State, and multiple capitol buildings and it continues to be used to authenticate executive signatures to this day. This year alone, we’ve counter-sealed 346 novel proclamations alone! We are incredibly proud to be the stewards of one of the great symbols of the state of Wisconsin and to keep it on display in our office.

07/17/2026

July is Muslim Heritage Month! This month, we are celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of Wisconsin’s Muslim Community across every area of our state. We thank you for all that you do!