2016: Ashley Reichert Ran For Washington County Clerk To Take The Place Of Retiring Clerk Brenda Jaszewski. “Incumbent Novack is seeking re-election to a second four year term. Gresch is clerk-treasurer for the City of Delafield. Washington County Clerk Brenda Jaszewski is not seeking re-election this fall after 12 years in the office. Three Republicans have registered to take her place. Town of Barton Clerk Aggie Pruner, Ashley Reichert of the City of West Bend and Braedy Helmbrecht of the Town of Trenton will face off in the Republican primary.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/2/16]
Republican Ashley Reichert Was Washington County Clerk During The 2024 Election Cycle. [Wisconsin Blue Book, 2023-2024, accessed 1/7/25]
Ashley Reichert Was Reelected Washington County Clerk Serving 2025 Through 2028. [Washington County, Election Summary Report – November 2024 General Election, accessed 1/13/25]
2024: Washington County Approved Two “Election Integrity” Packages With Funding For Municipal-Level Election Audits, Security Cameras To Surveil Drop Boxes, Buying Back Central County Machines, And Extending In-Person Absentee Voting Hours. “The Washington County Board of Supervisors approved a second election integrity package for the upcoming Nov. 5 general election, during their meeting Wednesday night in the Herbert J. Tennies Government Center. The package provides funding for an additional election integrity initiative video surveillance of voting drop boxes. The initial election integrity package was approved during the May board meeting, and it provided funding to municipalities to extend in-person absentee voting hours (if they chose to do so), funding for municipal-level audits of the 2024 presidential election, funding for the buy-back of central count machines previously purchased by municipalities (which would be replaced with the standard precinct-based counting process) and for the purchase of physical protection cases for the storage and transportation of voting equipment. [...] The additional election integrity package provides up to another $3,000 to help municipalities with the purchase of security cameras to surveil drop boxes, if they need to. [...] Reichert added that this additional election integrity package is just to provide funding, and the county doesn’t have any say in how the municipalities surveil their drop boxes. [...] She added that if someone wanted to observe the drop boxes, they could stand outside them, as it is public land, and report to their municipal clerk if they see suspicious activity, such as someone dropping multiple absentee ballots into the drop box. According to Reichert, the cameras are not just for surveillance of drop boxes, but will also be able to be utilized for security purposes of the municipal building throughout the year. The board approved up to $3,000 in funding for security cameras for municipalities that chose to implement voting drop boxes for the Nov. 5 election.” [Washington County Daily News, 10/11/24]
Ashley Reichert “Championed” Washington County’s Election Integrity Package And Included It In Her Campaign Platform, Saying “These Measures Can Significantly Reinforce The Electoral Process’s Integrity.” “Washington County, Wisconsin, is tightening the integrity of the election process in a sweeping package championed by County Clerk Ashley Reichert and County Executive Josh Schoemann that provides for a county-wide audit and other measures in November. [...] ‘These measures can significantly reinforce the electoral process’s integrity and assist in enhancing public confidence in our democratic system,’ Reichert said in a press release of the numerous steps the county is implementing for the 2024 election. The issue is part of Reichert’s platform in November herself, as she is up for re-election. [...] In the news release, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann praised the County Board’s approval of the Election Integrity resolution to be implemented ahead of the November 2024 General Election. The County Board approved the package in May. ‘I commend County Clerk Ashley Reichert for bringing these bold and innovative initiatives forward and thank the County Board for unanimously supporting this Election Integrity package,’ Schoemann said.” [Wisconsin Right Now, 7/2/24]
Ashley Reichert Campaigned For Reelection On Her Election Integrity Package. [Facebook, Ashley Reichert for Washington County Clerk, posted 7/8/24]
December 2024: Ashley Reichert Tweeted, “In May, As Part Of Our Election Integrity Package, Our County Board Approved A Hand Count Audit Of The Presidential And U.S. Senate Contests, Among Other Election Integrity Initiatives. [...] The Audit Determined Minimal Changes That Were Identified As Human Error, Demonstrating The Reliability Of Our Election Process.” [Twitter, @ashreichert27, 12/12/24]
2024: Ashley Reichert Campaigned For Reelection On Her Work Implementing Hand-Count Audits Of Paper Ballots And Advocating For Voter ID Measures. Ashley Reichert: “As county clerk, my top priorities are ensuring safe, secure and accurate elections through several key initiatives: Voluntary Hand Count Audits: Performing hand-count audits of paper ballots to verify electronic vote counting accuracy and boost public confidence. I have implemented audits beginning in 2019. These audits help ensure that the election machines, as required by Wisconsin Statutes Section 5.40(1), are functioning correctly and accurately recording votes. By sharing audit results, we promote transparency and trust in the electoral process, demonstrating our commitment to both the integrity of the vote and compliance with statutory requirements for election equipment. Election Reforms: I am committed to advocating for practical and effective election reforms within the State of Wisconsin. I collaborated with our legislators to have 2023 Wisconsin Act 54 successfully passed and signed into law to address the timing of absentee ballot mailings. This legislation change aims to reduce logistical challenges and potential voter confusion. This reform will help streamline voting and improve the overall efficiency of the electoral process. Voter Education: Delivering clear and timely information through a range of accessible resources and engaging workshops to help voters, election inspectors and municipal clerks to navigate the complexities of registration, voting procedures, and ballot tracking. Additionally, encouraging citizens to volunteer as election inspectors to support the electoral process and ensure smooth, fair elections. Accessible Voting: Providing funding to our municipalities to offer extended voting hours and improving access with enhanced hours of services, especially in underserved areas. Voter ID Requirements: Advocate for voter ID measures that protect voting integrity while ensuring all eligible voters can participate, with clear requirements and educational resources to assist them. These efforts ensure safe, secure and accurate elections in Washington County.” [Washington County Daily News, Interview, 8/10/24]
2024: Ashley Reichert’s Office Conducted A Hand-Count Audit Of The Presidential And Senate Races, Which Reichert Called “A Great Process To Ensure All Votes Are Counted Accurately.” “The Washington County Clerk ’s Office held its audit of the 2024 fall general election this week, and the results showed that the votes tabulated on Nov. 5 were accurate. According to Washington County Clerk Ashley Reichert, the hand-count audit of the presidential and U.S. Senate races in the 2024 fall election showed that the reported numbers from the voting machines were counted accurately. ‘The only issues that we noted would be due to human error,’ said Reichert. ‘Overall, it went very, very well. The machines counted accurately and any discrepancies were attributed to human error.’ For the hand-count, each individual table took one reporting district and hand-counted the results in the presidential election, first, according to Reichert. ‘They would hand-count the ballot totals for the presidential race first and then also any undervotes or overvotes and then write-ins,’ said Reichert. Once the numbers were confirmed for the presidential election, the U.S. Senate election results were hand-counted the same way for the same reporting unit and then confirmed. The audit began with townships in Washington County, doing one at a time by reporting unit, before moving on to villages and then cities, ending with West Bend, on Thursday. ‘I just think it’s a great process to ensure all votes are counted accurately and we can have faith in our process here in Washington County,’ said Reichert.” [Washington County Daily News, 12/14/24]
Ashley Reichert: “ I Don't Just Talk About Election Integrity, I Put It Into Practice. That's Why In 2022 I Was The Only County Clerk In The State Of Wisconsin To Execute A Voluntary Hand Count Audit Of The 2022 Election Results.” [Facebook, Ashley Reichert for Washington County Clerk, 6/24/24]
September 2022: Washington County, WI Clerk Ashley Reichert Suggested A Full Hand Recount Of The 2022 General Election “As Part Of An Audit Doing The Top State Race And The Top Federal Race.” “The committee voted unanimously to approve the use of up to $75,000 in strategic priority funds to upgrade the county's election system management software. The committee then voted on doing a full recount by hand of the governor, lieutenant governor and U.S. senator elections in the general election on Nov. 8. According to Reichert, the county audits every election held, by choice. Normally, the county will randomly select two reporting units in the county and then hand-count the ballots in two of the races in the election and compare the results with the voting machine tabulations. 'What we are suggesting doing for the 2022 general election is hand-counting the entire county as a part of an audit doing the top state race and the top federal race, which would be governor, lieutenant governor and then the U.S. Senate race, and hand-counting all of those,' said Reichert.” [Washington County Daily News, 9/22/22]
September 2022: Ashley Reichert Said The Cost Of A Hand Recount Would Cost Up To $50,000 And Would Be Paid For By Washington County. “According to Reichert, the expense of the recount is up to $50,000, and would be paid for by the county and not the individual municipalities. The funding would come out of the strategic priority fund. She added that she doesn't believe the recount would cost the full $50,000, as in 2016 the full recount cost roughly $36,000.” [Washington County Daily News, 9/22/22]
September 2022: A Washington County Commissioner Said, “I Think We Need To Commend The Clerk’s Office For Taking A Step Forward…Just Another Effort To Reassure The Voters…That We’re Trying To Stay Ahead Of Any Potential Fraud.” “'Here again, I think we need to commend the clerk's office for taking a step forward on this,' said Merry. 'Just another effort to reassure the voters of Washington County that we're trying to stay ahead of any potential fraud.'” [Washington County Daily News, 9/22/22]
April 2023: The Washington County Board Of Canvass Certified Results Of The Spring General Election. “The Washington County Board of Canvass met on Tuesday and completed their postelection audit and certified the 2023 spring general elections results. […] According to Washington County Clerk Ashley Reichert, the board randomly chose two reporting units, West Bend District 3 and the Town of Kewaskum, to perform their audit. The Wisconsin State Supreme Court race was the audited race for one of the reporting units, and one of the three state referendum questions was the audited race for the other. According to Reichert, everything matched up and the results for the local, county and state general election results in Washington County are now official.” [Washington County Daily News, 4/13/23]