JoCasta Zamarripa
City of Milwaukee alder
Democrat
Milwaukee
Elected Experience
Wisconsin State Assembly (2011-2021); City of Milwaukee Common Council (2020-present)
Q&A with the Candidate
Why should voters elect you as Secretary of State?
Wisconsin deserves a secretary of state who shows up. I have spent my career delivering for working families on Milwaukee's south side, first in the state Assembly and now as alderperson. I know how to use a platform to fight for people who have been ignored and underestimated. The secretary of state chairs the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, managing Wisconsin's $1.4 billion public lands trust and funding every public school library in the state. That is real responsibility and I take it seriously. I will bring the same tenacity and community focus to this office that I have brought to every role I have held.
What expertise would you bring to the Secretary of State’s office and how would it help Wisconsinites?
After a decade in the state Assembly and two terms as Milwaukee alderperson, I understand how state government works and how to make it work for people. I have passed legislation, navigated complex bureaucracies, managed budgets, and built coalitions across lines that do not always agree. The secretary of state oversees Wisconsin's public lands trust, manages state business filings, and chairs the board that funds public school libraries statewide. These are technical responsibilities that require someone who understands policy, accountability, and what is at stake for working families. I have spent my entire career building exactly that foundation.
Should the Secretary of State be given more or fewer responsibilities? Explain.
The secretary of state is a constitutional office with real responsibilities and real potential. I believe in working with the Legislature and the governor to make sure this office is as useful as possible for the people of Wisconsin. If there are ways to expand the office's capacity to serve Wisconsinites better, I want to have that conversation. What matters is that this office delivers results for working families, protects our public lands trust, and earns the trust of the people who elect its occupant.
What is your favorite fun Wisconsin history fact?
Wisconsin accounts for more than half of all Korbel brandy sold worldwide every single year. After World War II, Wisconsin distributors bought up a massive cache of California brandy and the state never looked back. The brandy old fashioned became our signature cocktail and Korbel has been thanking us ever since.