# 1978 Wisconsin Secretary of State election

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vte :
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.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Vel Phillips, former Milwaukee Alderwoman and civil rights activist

#### Eliminated in primary

* 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

Democratic primary results :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 307,976 | 100.0% |

## Republican primary

* Frederic A. Seefeldt ran unopposed in the primary

## Constitution primary

* George A. Myers ran unopposed in the primary

## General election
### Results

1978 Wisconsin Secretary of State election :
| Party | 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 | Plurality | Plurality | 34,471 | 2.49% | -% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,385,691 | 100.0% | -% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |