Local parties name poll workers
The Marathon County Democratic and Republican political parties have exercised their rights under state law to name workers in upcoming elections although, according to county clerk Kim Trueblood, there is no role for partisan politics in running elections. The clerk said state law has for “many, many years” allowed political parties to name workers but the parties never exercised that option.
Now they have, Trueblood said, with many party members named as workers to some municipalities while others get few, if any.
Trueblood said municipal clerks must use nominated party members before they tap into the traditional stable of election workers.
She said panels of election workers are always made up of an odd number so that controversies at polling places can be resolved with votes without a tie. The party who won the most votes for president in the last election is granted a one member majority.
T rueblood said controversies could include whether clear voter intent is evident from an “x” drawn across a ballot oval or whether voting twice on a ballot is a disallowed overvote. She said all municipal decisions are reviewed by the county board of canvassers. The current board, Trueblood said, includes two Republicans (herself included) and one Democrat (former county clerk Nan Kottke).
Trueblood said that while the local political parties can name their members as election workers, state law governs all aspects of vote counting and that there is no role for partisanship in working an election.
“We don’t make decisions based on partisanship,” she said. “We just don’t.”
Trueblood said she is confident local election officials can conduct local elections without the taint of partisan politics.
“I know the integrity of our county clerks and their election boards,” she said. “They are beyond reproach. I never question any of my municipal clerks. I know they are above board.”
Kody Hart, chairman of the Marathon County Democratic Party, said that his party sent the names of 39 people who wished to be affiliated election workers to 14 county municipalities. Of these 39 people, he said, 22 have already serve as poll workers.
Hart said he agrees with county clerk Trueblood that there is no role for partisanship in election work. “All election workers are required to conduct themselves in a nonpartisan manner on election day,” he said. “In a recent county meeting of ours, one of our most experienced election workers shared with our other members that ‘when you work the election polls, you leave your political party at the door.’” He said that state law prohibits partisan behavior by election workers and that municipal clerks have the authority to dismiss election workers for improper conduct.
Jack Hoogendyk, chairman of the Marathon County Republican Party, said his party has named election workers in all county municipalities but declined to state a number.
