Wisconsin

REMOVAL BY GOVERNOR
Removal of: Certain Elected County Officers
Initiated by: The Governor
Removal by the Governor is a procedure that applies to county elected officials. The reasons for
which a particular official may be removed depend upon the office.
The Governor may remove certain county officials based on constitutional authority and may
remove others based on statutory authority. The Wisconsin Constitution provides that the
Governor may remove “any county elected official mentioned in” Wis. Const., art. VI, s. 4, except
for county clerks, treasurers, and surveyors. The county officials who can be removed under this
constitutional authority include district attorneys, sheriffs, registers of deeds, and chief executive
officers. The removal procedure requires that the Governor provide a copy of the charges and
give the officer an “opportunity of being heard.” [Wis. Const. art. VI, s. 4 (4).]
The statutes also provide the Governor with authority to remove particular county officials for
specific reasons. The Governor has statutory authority to remove the district attorney, sheriff,
coroner, or register of deeds “for cause.” This means that the official may be removed for
inefficiency, neglect of duty, official misconduct, or malfeasance in office. [ss. 17.001, 17.06 (3),
and 17.09 (5), Stats.]

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lc/information_memos/2014/im_2014_03