Wisconsin approves guidance for federal agents at polls

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 16:33 · Archive

Wisconsin elections officials have approved guidance for local clerks on handling federal law enforcement at polling places.

Wisconsin's elections officials have approved guidance for local clerks on how to respond if federal law enforcement officials appear at polling places on Election Day. The measure comes after voters and clerks raised concerns about the possibility, with clerks reporting they have been deluged with questions about what they would do if agents showed up.

The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission approved the memo, though Republican Commissioner Bob Spindell cast the lone vote against it. He argued the guidance 'is only going to scare away some people from the polls' and that 'this guidance is unnecessary because we have not seemed to need it the past 201 years'. Wisconsin elections administrator Meagan Wolfe defended it as 'just like any other contingency planning we do to assist our clerks'.

The memo applies to Wisconsin's roughly 1,800 election clerks and covers appearances by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, Department of Homeland Security officials, FBI agents and local law enforcement. If officers arrive, the polling site head must inform the municipal clerk, who then alerts the county clerk and state elections commission. If agents are present to observe, they must check in like other observers and follow applicable rules.

How it is being reported

• Wisconsin elections officials issue guidance for handling federal agents at pollsElections officials in battleground Wisconsin have approved guidance for local clerks to help them know what to do if federal law enforcement officials show up at the polls on Election Day, as some activists fear they might do.News4Jax · 15 Oct, 16:02
• Wisconsin elections officials issue guidance for handling federal agents at pollsElections officials in battleground Wisconsin have approved guidance for local clerks to help them know what to do if federal law enforcement officials show up at the polls on Election Day, as some activists fear they might do.Clickorlando · 15 Oct, 16:02

In this story: Wisconsin Elections Commission · Wisconsin · Meagan Wolfe · Bob Spindell

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