A rise in hostility towards election and poll workers led Dane County clerk staff to begin de-escalation and active shooter training for election onboarding in August 2022.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway proposed a city ordinance in early July to penalize those who show disorderly conduct towards poll workers, according to the proposal.
Threats and harassment toward poll workers and clerks have escalated in recent years, according to a July 2022 report from the Dane County Election Security Review Committee.
Because of this, Dane County has ramped up its strategies to control and handle confrontations by holding de-escalation training for clerks, according to Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell. In an email statement to The Badger Herald, McDonnell said the training was held as a preemptive response.
“It was in reaction to the hostility and lies and threats surrounding the 2020 election that persist even today,” McDonnell said.
Since the 2020 elections, the rampant spread of election fraud disinformation has created challenging situations for those who are working the polls, according to McDonnell.
In a survey, Dane County municipal clerks indicated their level of safety as election workers — 84% of respondents said election threats had increased in recent years and 18% of clerks reported they faced direct threats to their work, according to the report. Further, 88% of clerks who were threatened received multiple threats, and 70% of clerks have extreme levels of concern over their safety.
Dane County Chief Election Inspector and dedicated volunteer with the League of Women’s Voters Brook Chase Soltvedt oversees the voting processes. As a swing state, it is critical that elections are monitored in Wisconsin, Soltvedt said.
While some Wisconsin residents vote before the election, election workers bear a lot of the burden, according to Soltvedt.
“It’s a long day when you are constantly being bombarded by questions and problems, and it’s important to handle all comers with equanimity, good manners, and yet firm control over the situation,” Soltvedt said.
Madison’s “6th Happiest City” title not felt equally throughout city
Soltvedt said a number of clerks have had their lives, homes and families threatened.
Soltvedt believes awareness and teaching workers protection tactics is a great way of ensuring voter and worker safety.
“You get overtired after a long day of things, and I think all the tools that you can get in your toolbox to do that are important,” Soltvedt said.
Fifty clerks were included in Dane County’s de-escalation training in August, and with the general statewide election this November, that number is likely to increase, according to Soltvedt.
As the Chief Election Inspector, Soltvedt says that Madison might look to implement these procedures and training close to election day, Nov. 8.
