Trusting the election process: La Crosse County Clerk takes part in a PSA
LA CROSSE (WKBT) — La Crosse County Clerk Ginny Dankmeyer says she took part in an election integrity campaign because of increasing mistrust in the election process. She says election workers are often neighbors, friends, and even family members. Both Wisconsin’s process and the people that make it work are credible.
Political ads, campaigns, and casting your ballot have always been a part of the election process.
“Their job is to get out the vote as legitimately as much as possible,” said Joe Heim, a political analyst and professor at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
But following the 2020 presidential election, distrust in the election process is also becoming a rising fear.
“I think it has to do with a lot with that minforformation that was out there, a lot of the mistrust in elections,” said Dankmeyer.
Which is why Dankmeyer is addressing people’s concerns on their tv screens.
“In Wisconsin, the path your ballot travels through is thorough,” Dankmeyer says in the ad.
In the public service announcement, Dankmeyer and other Wisconsin clerks explains how their votes are counted.
“It’s just a way for the election officials who work with elections every day to get out there and go hey, here’s the truth behind what happens with the elections. This is how safe they are. This is how secure they are,” she said.
The PSA was created by three nonprofits – The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Wisconsin Counties Association, and Wisconsin Towns Association. Heim says these groups are hoping to repair public distrust.
“The officials around the state of Wisconsin very clearly want the public to understand the elections are clear and honest,” he said.
Heim says as misinformation continues to rise, he fears every future election will be contested.
“It seems as if you lose an election, you’re going to be contesting the outcome of it. That something fishy was going on,” Heim said.
Dankmeyer says any mistakes that may happen will not change the outcome of the election.
“The mistakes aren’t these huge mistakes that people are reporting about stuffing ballots and votes being changed and things like that,” she said.
Dankmeyer says don’t trust misinformation on social media.
“Don’t get your information from Facebook, don’t get it from the internet. Get the information firsthand from the people who deal with this every day,” she said.
Rather, reach out to your election officials with any questions.
To find your polling place, click here.
To register to vote, click here.
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