What Does the Wisconsin State Treasurer Do?
The State Treasurer is one of six constitutional officers in Wisconsin, elected statewide every four years. The office has a small but meaningful set of responsibilities that directly affect public schools, local communities, and the financial security of Wisconsin residents.
Here is what the Treasurer does and why it matters.
The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands
The State Treasurer serves on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL), alongside the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. The BCPL is one of Wisconsin's oldest state agencies, established in the state constitution.
The Board manages over $1.6 billion in public trust assets. These include financial investments and more than 75,000 acres of School Trust Lands, primarily forestland in northern Wisconsin. The revenue generated by these assets flows to two places: public school libraries and the University of Wisconsin System. Each year, the trust funds distribute tens of millions of dollars to support education across the state.
The BCPL also operates the State Trust Fund Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans to municipalities, school districts, and other local units of government for infrastructure, equipment, and community projects. For many small and rural communities, these loans offer financing at rates they cannot get from private lenders. The interest paid back into the fund cycles back into the fund, increasing the usable income for future projects.
The Treasurer's vote on the Board shapes how these assets are managed, how loans are approved, and how public forestry lands are maintained. It is a governing role with real consequences for schools and communities.
Unclaimed Property
The Treasurer's office connects to Wisconsin's unclaimed property program. Unclaimed property includes forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance proceeds, and other financial assets that have gone dormant. Millions of dollars in unclaimed property belong to Wisconsin residents who do not know it exists.
The Treasurer can serve as a public advocate for reuniting people with their unclaimed funds and for making the process of searching for and claiming property simpler and more accessible.
A Statewide Platform
Beyond the formal duties of the office, the State Treasurer holds a statewide platform. Past treasurers have used the office to advance policy priorities, convene experts, and bring attention to issues affecting Wisconsin families. The office is what its occupant makes of it.
Dylan Helmenstine is running for State Treasurer to use that platform for three priorities: increasing transparency and public engagement with government, fighting for fair and sustainable school funding, and protecting and growing the trust funds that support public education.
Why Dylan's Background Fits This Office
The Treasurer's role requires someone who understands budgets, public finance, and how state systems affect local communities. Dylan brings all three.
He has served on the Teachers Retirement Board at the Department of Employee Trust Funds, where he reviews pension fund performance quarterly. He is an elected school board member who has worked through multiple budget cycles in a district affected by the same broken funding formulas he wants to fix. He chaired local economic development and emergency management committees in Black Earth. And he spent three years as a state financial analyst in the Division of Medicaid Services, auditing programs and building tools that brought new visibility to how public money was being spent.
His academic training at the La Follette School of Public Affairs at UW-Madison included coursework in state budgeting, program design, and cost-benefit analysis.
The duties of the Treasurer's office sit at the intersection of public finance, education funding, and community investment. Dylan's career and public service have been preparing him for this work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is running for Wisconsin State Treasurer in 2026?
Two candidates are competing in the August 11, 2026 Democratic primary for State Treasurer. Dylan Helmenstine of Black Earth is a school board member, village trustee, and former state financial analyst running on a platform of transparency, school funding reform, and trust fund protection.
When is the Wisconsin State Treasurer election?
The Democratic primary is on August 11, 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. You can check your voter registration and find your polling place at myvote.wi.gov.
Is the State Treasurer a full-time office?
The State Treasurer is a constitutional officer elected to a four-year term. The scope of the office depends on the priorities of the person who holds it.
How is the State Treasurer different from the county treasurer?
County treasurers handle county-level tax collection and financial management. The State Treasurer serves on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands and holds a statewide platform. They are separate offices with different responsibilities.