Wisconsin National Guard members will again serve as poll workers for Aug. 11 primary
Voting in Burlington in April
MADISON - Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday, Aug. 5 the Wisconsin National Guard will assist local election officials as poll workers for the Aug.11 primary elections across Wisconsin, as they did in April.
The announcement comes as last week, the governor issued Executive Order #82 authorizing the Wisconsin National Guard to provide support during the August election.
Individuals interested in being a poll worker are encouraged to apply by contacting their municipal clerk’s office or visiting the MyVote Wisconsin website.
“The Wisconsin National Guard has played a critical role in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and this mission is no different,” said Gov. Evers in a news release Wednesday. “Time and time again the Guard has stepped up to help their neighbors, friends, and communities, as they will be doing on election day by helping to ensure that every Wisconsinite can vote safely without fear for their health.”
According to the release, a yet-to-be determined number of Wisconsin National Guard members will mobilize to state active duty in the coming days to support the Wisconsin Elections Commission and clerks across the state. The release said National Guard officials are working with the Wisconsin Elections Commission to determine how many members would be available to support and fulfill requests from local elections officials.
The troops will report to duty on Sunday, Aug. 9 to complete necessary training and begin receiving assignments. They’ll report to clerks on Monday to receive site-specific training and assist with polling place setup, before fulfilling the role of traditional poll workers on Tuesday during the election. The troops will be released from duty Aug. 12, the release said.
Members of the Wisconsin National Guard reside in all 72 Wisconsin counties and will serve in the county in which they reside wearing civilian clothes due to a critical shortage of poll workers in the state stemming from concerns over COVID-19. Guard members will perform the same roles and functions as other volunteers who traditionally staff the state’s polling sites.
The Wisconsin National Guard also worked in collaboration with the Civil Air Patrol and the Wisconsin Elections Commission in recent weeks to ship supplies of hand sanitizer, wipes, spray bottles, and personal protective equipment to each county to help ensure safe and sanitary polling sites, the release noted.
The Wisconsin National Guard has played a key role in Wisconsin’s last two elections. During the state’s general election April 7, more than 2,400 Wisconsin Guard members mobilized in the same role and supported 71 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. During the May 11 special election in the state’s 7th Congressional District, another 160 served as poll workers.