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Please Note: We share this information with the hope that it aids pro-democracy activists by highlighting specific process points to monitor for any subversive efforts. Due to the sensitivity of this information and the potential for it to be exploited by bad actors, this page and the links within it should not be shared outside of the pro-democracy community.
If you have any questions or feedback on these identified vulnerabilities, please contact us at info[@]informingdemocracy[dot]org.
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Election processes in Wisconsin are grounded firmly in state statute. In addition, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (“WEC”) provides manuals, guidance, and advisory opinions governing all aspects of the election administration process. Election officials have little discretion in carrying out their duties, and Municipal and County Boards of Canvassers are required to conduct canvassing and to certify results. Wisconsin also has a number of protections in place to safeguard its canvassing and certification processes from those seeking to undermine or delay election results.
Indeed, because the law itself is strong, many of the election vulnerabilities in Wisconsin are created and sustained by bad faith actors, who are willing to violate state law. After 2020, Wisconsin remains a target for those seeking to perpetuate election conspiracies, and as a result, the state’s elections remain vulnerable to the threats posed by such conspiracies.
Informing Democracy reviewed Wisconsin County Clerks and members of County Boards of Canvassers to identify officials who could pose a threat to free and fair elections. Of the 210 officials reviewed, background research surfaced 15 with concerning findings, which is about 7%, spread across 15 counties. Three were County Clerks and the remaining 12 were members of County Boards of Canvassers.
No county was identified as having an election-denying majority. However, the following counties pose some concern for free and fair election administration this November due to at least one member of the County Board of Canvassers making statements either questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election results or suggesting an openness to supporting anti-democratic activity.
Adams County: Liana Glavin has served as the Clerk of Adams County since 2022 and, prior to assuming office, spread false claims regarding the 2020 election on social media. In particular, Glavin amplified claims that the 2020 election was “rigged or stolen” and disparaging mail voting as potentially fraudulent.
Calumet County: Calumet County Board of Canvassers member Linda Hoerth has called election integrity “the most important issue at hand” and seemed open to a conspiracy that the FBI worked with Twitter to sway the election.
Green County: Dave Staats, a member of the Green County Board of Elections, posted election denial rhetoric.
Jackson County: Jackson County Board of Canvassers member William Laurent spread stolen election rhetoric and shared information about a bus trip to the January 6 Stop The Steal rally in Washington, DC.
Kenosha County: County Board of Canvassers member Mary Magdalen Moser has supported election subversion efforts as a private citizen by filing a complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission following the 2020 election, arguing the City of Kenosha broke the law by working with private corporations to help Biden win. Moser had previously been arrested for trying to gain access to a live-streamed county board meeting that was closed to the public due to the COVID pandemic.
Kewaunee County: County Board of Canvassers member Ron Heuer is president of Wisconsin Voter Alliance, an organization that sued to overturn Biden’s Wisconsin win, claiming there was evidence of voter fraud. His organization is currently suing Wisconsin over the voter rolls. Heuer previously worked for Michael Gableman’s sham election review.
Langlade County: County Board of Canvassers member Patricia Doleshal shared election conspiracies. She has also compared Democrats to Nazis and called them “our worst enemy.”
Milwaukee County: County Board of Canvassers member Helmut Fritz shared election denial during the post-vote period. This included a hand-written sign reading “Boo Biden boo! Who elected you?”
Taylor County: Taylor County Clerk Andria Farrand promoted social media content that stated that Democrats “let anyone vote,” and posted on Facebook thanking Donald Trump on President Biden’s inauguration day. Farrand also spread several other conspiracy theories on social media.
Washington County: Washington County Clerk Ashley Reichert sought to perform a full hand recount of the 2022 general election, an initiative that was praised by conservative news site Gateway Pundit. Reichert also wanted to program the voting machines in-house, rather than contracting with Dominion Voting Systems. While her actions were not nefarious, they may have helped increase election deniers’ distrust in voting machines.
Winnebago County: County Board of Canvassers member Jean Moxon shared a post claiming that Trump actually won the election.