‘Disappointing and offensive:’ Area clerks say rumors about voter fraud are unfounded

Elm Grove Village Clerk Michelle Luedtke knew the Nov. 3 election would be like no other.

She was up at the crack of dawn on Election Day — but she usually can’t sleep the night before a election anyway. 

And she had already trained her poll workers well before the day of the election.  

“During training, I emphasized the scrutiny this election would face, and we executed the election process with great care in this community,” Luedtke said. 

Luedtke was right about the scrutiny. Even before President Donald Trump announced he would seek a recount of ballots in Dane and Milwaukee counties, eyes nationwide were on Wisconsin, as a hotly contested state.

Earlier in the week, the final presidential vote tallies counties submitted to the state showed that Biden won the state by 20,608 votes. The recount began Friday.

In the weeks after the election, claims of voter fraud have run rampant across the nation — and in Wisconsin, as well. 

But area clerks, many of whom worked long hours to ensure the election went as smoothly as possible, said claims of voter fraud are unfounded. 

“This accusation of fraud and really the dark side of politics, it’s disappointing and offensive,” said Brookfield City Clerk Kelly Michaels. 

Michaels recognizes that recounts are a part of the election process, but she said many clerks statewide question the Trump campaign’s decision to conduct the recount in only two counties.

“I guess when you use a strategy of pulling out two communities for a process that’s being used statewide, I think there’s a lot of us (clerks) looking at that going, ‘you know, that’s not really fair,’” Michaels said. 

“It’s just hard to have your profession dragged through the mud because it’s convenient for a strategy. It’s tough, and I think it’s hurtful,” she said.

‘Happy and disappointed’

When news that a recount was possible in the state, Luedtke checked in with poll workers to see whether they’d be available to help. 

She said more than 40 responded “with a sort of vigor you don’t see for your basic February election.” 

“This is a testament to people wanting to be part of the process, believing in the process and wanting to see it through to the end,” Luedtke said. 

Luedtke said she was both “happy and disappointed” the recount did not include Waukesha County. 

Dane and Milwaukee counties, where the recount is taking place, are two liberal strongholds in the state. But Republican candidates have historically done very well in Waukesha County.

That didn’t change in this election. 

On one hand, Luedtke is disappointed there is no recount in her county, because it  “would solidify and showcase the hard work put in by the poll workers to make sure everything was accurate and lawful.”

On the other hand, she’s happy it isn’t happening because now is a busy time for village government. 

If anyone is worried about voter fraud, Luedtke invited them to come to the polls on the next election day. 

“The poll workers and I will show people everything they could ever want to know about elections and more,” she said. “It’s important to know the process and how it works.” 

Some national surveys have found that trust in the election process varies along political lines. 

According to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll, 70% of Republicans say they don’t feel the election was “free and fair.” That number was at 35% before the election. 

Meanwhile, 90% of Democrats now say the election was “free and fair,” up from the 52% before Nov. 3 who thought it would be, according to that same survey. 

In West Allis where votes will be recounted, election services specialist Gina Gresch said she’s confident there has been no fraud because of staff members’ diligent attention to election laws and procedures.  

“West Allis staff frequently conducts the voter record checks (death, duplicates and felons) as required by the WEC (Wisconsin Elections Commission),” Gresch said in an email. “We make sure that there aren’t any inconsistencies with our voter list.” 

She said it’s critical that municipalities keep up with this voter registration list maintenance.  

“I feel that by not doing that work, that could open up a window for fraud,” Gresch said.  

Whitefish Bay Clerk Jaimie Krueger said she did everything to ensure the election there was successful and “without fraud.” 

“I’m not going to speak to any opinions on what Trump has said about the fraud, but I know that in Whitefish Bay, our election was conducted with integrity and that we have no concerns that any voter fraud occurred,” Krueger said. 

“I find that it is sad that these claims (of voter fraud) are being made,” said Sam Liebert, administrative services director and clerk/treasurer for the village of Sussex in Waukesha County.

Liebert said he, the deputy clerk and poll workers take elections seriously.

“It is really disheartening that these accusations are being made,” he said. “We have secure elections, and it is pretty hard to coordinate voter fraud.” 

Liebert was not surprised that Trump sought a recount in the state.

“It does not surprise me based on his tweets and speeches. His message was that if I win, I win. If I lose, it is because of voter fraud,” he said. 

99.5% 

Oconomowoc City Clerk Diane Coenen said she is not worried about large-scale fraud, and the isolated instances she does see are few and far between, and even then not totally clear. 

She estimated 99.5% of ballots cast are voted by the correct individual who made their own choice.

Hannah Kirby, Bob Dohr, Cathy Kozlowicz and Evan Frank of the Now News Group contributed to this report. 

Evan Casey can be reached at 414-403-4391 or evan.casey@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @ecaseymedia.