Election workers are ready for all the regular challenges of Election Day, like long lines and inevitable questions. In addition, workers statewide have also received training on dealing with potential threats to their safety.
Acts of violence against election workers are rare, but threats have been on the rise following the 2020 presidential election.
In response, safety training is now offered to Wisconsin election workers, like Martha Kipcak of Milwaukee.
"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 an optional thing," Kipcak said. "We never talked about that in this way before."
Kipcak said the safety training included presentations from the Department of Homeland Security and the Milwaukee Police Department, covering things like noticing odd behavior and when to call 911. The goal is not to train election workers to physically deescalate all situations, but to know what is something they can handle themselves, and what is something that requires a third party.
Safety and security training has become a new emphasis in election worker training across the state. In an October report on election security, the Wisconsin Elections Commission noted that while in the past election security focused on cybersecurity, new threats have necessitated training in ensuring the physical safety of election workers.
Kaitlyn Bernarde is the city clerk for Wausau in central Wisconsin. She says some election workers requested the training, in part because of an increase in threats of violence in recent years.
"Starting in 2022, after the 2020 election and how that went, we focused more on, you know, physical threats and physical safety," Bernarde said. "That was propelled by some of our election workers asking for it. You know, they want to be involved, they want to help the election happen. But they also want to know that they can feel safe there."
David Haynes is the co-lead at the Wisconsin Alliance for Civic Trust, or WisAct. WisAct is part of a nationwide coalition to respond to political violence. Haynes said he has talked to municipal clerks around the state, and found that personal threats of political violence are widespread.
"Almost everyone we talked to either had a story about how he or she had been threatened, or they knew somebody who had been," Haynes said.
And while threats of violence against public officials are rarely carried out, Haynes says the threat alone can be enough to change how those public officials act, particularly after election day.
"Those threats alone are a form of political violence because they can change how people in public life do their jobs. They’re less available to the public, for example, they harden their offices or in some cases they choose to get out completely because they didn’t sign up for that," Haynes said.
Despite all the unknowns, election workers like Kipcak are ready to do their jobs. This year, Kipcak has taken all the training and says she knows how to respond to threats if they arise. But right now, she is just expecting another day at the polls.
"So we’re ready for whatever comes at us, but I expect it to be very efficient and somewhat orderly. Maybe it will take a while, but I think people will be good with it."
Like many election workers, Kipcak said she started because she wanted to be an engaged participant in democracy. What has kept her coming back is the people she meets on Election Day.
"The company working at the polls is great. You really get to know folks, and it’s been very gratifying. I’m proud to do it."
