Wisconsin election workers receive training to combat the threat of violence | WUWM 89.7FM

Election workers are ready for all the regular challenges of Election Day, like long lines and inevitable questions. Additionally, employees statewide have also received training on how to handle potential threats to their safety.

Acts of violence against election workers are rare, but there have been threats to get up after the 2020 presidential election.

In response, security training is now being offered to Wisconsin election workers like Milwaukee’s Martha Kipcak.

“This is the first year since I’ve been a poll worker in eight years that they’ve offered the safety and security class. It wasn’t mandatory; it was optional,” Kipcak said. “We’ve never talked about it like this before.”

Kipcak said the safety training included presentations from the Department of Homeland Security and the Milwaukee Police Department on things like spotting strange behavior and when to call 911. The goal is not to train election workers to physically de-escalate all situations, but to know what is going on. something they can handle themselves, and something that requires a third party.

Safety and security training has become a new emphasis in the training of election workers across the state. In an October report on election security, the Wisconsin Elections Commission noted that while election security has historically focused on cybersecurity, new threats have made training necessary to ensure the physical safety of election workers.

Kaitlyn Bernarde is the city clerk for Wausau in central Wisconsin. She says some election workers have requested the training, in part because of an increase in threats of violence in recent years.

“Going into 2022, after the 2020 election and how that went, we focused more on physical threats and physical security,” Bernarde said. “That was sparked by some of our election workers asking for it. You know, they want to be involved, they want to help make the election happen. But they also want to know that they can feel safe there.”

David Haynes is co-leader at the Wisconsin Alliance for Civic Trust, or WisAct. WisAct is part of a national coalition to respond to political violence. Haynes said he has spoken to municipal officials across the state and found that personal threats of political violence are widespread.

“Almost everyone we spoke to had a story about how he or she had been threatened, or knew someone who had been,” Haynes said.

And while threats of violence against government officials are rarely carried out, Haynes says the threat alone can be enough to change the way those government officials act, especially after Election Day.

“These threats alone are a form of political violence because they can change the way people in public life do their work. They are less available to the public, for example they harden their offices or in some cases they choose to get away completely because that is not what they signed up for,” Haynes said.

Despite all the uncertainties, election workers like Kipcak are ready to do their work. This year, Kipcak has completed all the training and says she knows how to respond to threats if they arise. But right now, she’s just expecting another day at the polls.

“So we’re ready for what’s coming our way, but I expect it will be very efficient and somewhat orderly. It may take a while, but I think people will be happy with it.”

Like many election workers, Kipcak said she started because she wanted to be an engaged participant in democracy. What keeps her coming back is the people she meets on Election Day.

“The company that works at the polling stations is great. You really get to know people, and that is very satisfying. I am proud to be able to do this.”