State election officials will be “sticklers” during the recount process.
Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board meets with local election clerks via teleconference to discuss procedures for the State Supreme Court recount that begins Wednesday. Mike Haas, staff counsel with the GAB, stresses the importance of conducting the process uniformly across the state.
“We understand that counties may be accustomed to a little bit more latitude when a recount involved only one or two counties, but we are going to be a little bit more of a stickler regarding procedures used in this recount because it is statewide.”
Among other things, state and county officials discuss counting ballots, keeping minutes, taking photos, providing access, signing-in, and meeting deadlines — which includes working weekends.
GAB director Kevin Kennedy thanks the clerks for the work they are about to do. “The basic goals that all of us share are insuring that each vote is counted and the process emphasizes transparency.”
The GAB gets hit with a variety of questions — the Green County clerk raises concerns about the cost of hiring extra tabulators. Ross Hein with the GAB says having extra tabulators will streamline the process that would otherwise be difficult to complete before the May 9th deadline. The clerk says he won’t hire extra tabulators with money already short.
Any person may attend the recount, but purses, briefcases, coats, pencils or black or blue pens are not allowed.
Challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg asked for the recount. But incumbent Justice David Prosser has said there’s no way his opponent can make up for the 7,316 vote margin.