Wausau Public Health and Safety and Committee Passes a Local Ordinance to Protect Election Workers

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 -- 8:01 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) The Wausau Public Health and Safety Committee has passed a local ordinance designed to protect election workers, supervisors, and employees of the City Clerk’s office for the next three elections.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, City Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde says the protections and penalties are designed to mirror a state law that was passed earlier this year but won’t go into effect until next July.

The ordinance would protect some 150 poll workers from “physical threats and violence. “[The state law] doesn’t go into effect until next July so we are looking to update our local ordinance to include this protection until the state statute goes into effect,” added Bernarde.

Council President Lisa Rasmussen and District 10 Alder Lou Larson agreed the need for the ordinance is sad given the heated nature of politics at all levels. The proposal passed the committee on a unanimous voice vote. “It’s a sadly necessary but valuable effort,” said Rasmussen.

The local ordinance creates a civil forfeiture, or fine, for anyone found to have harassed or intimidated a poll worker or clerk. It would come off the books on June 30th, with the state statute going into effect on July 1st.

Bernarde notes that the ordinance would cover the Presidential election on November 5th along with the April 2025 non-partisan election and any potential February 2025 primary. The City Council will consider the measure on Tuesday, September 24th.

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