Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Registered write-in candidates for governor and Shawano County sheriff in the Nov. 4 election are adding an extra level of preparation for municipal clerks and election inspectors.
With those candidates officially running but not on the ballot, poll workers have been instructed not to make it appear as if they are either encouraging or discouraging a write-in.
Shawano County Clerk Rosemary Rueckert said poll workers cannot volunteer the fact that there’s a write-in candidate unless directly asked.
“They cannot come forward with the information, but if they are asked that question they can answer it,” she said.
Rueckert said it’s up to voters to know the candidates.
Republican candidate Adam Bieber, a Shawano police officer, and Independent candidate Lucas Christenson will be on the ballot for the county sheriff election. Incumbent Randy Wright is running as a write-in.
Bieber defeated Wright in the Aug. 12 Republican primary race, 2,688-2,459.
Three write-in candidates for governor have previously registered — Republican Steve R. Evans, Constitution Party candidate Jumoka Johnson and Mary Jo Walters, who did not declare a party.
Brett Hulsey, who lost the Democratic primary to Mary Burke, also announced his write-in candidacy this week.
Only registered write-in candidates are counted, the result of a recent change in law that saved clerks the trouble of tallying votes for write-ins such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
Absentee and in-person voting for the Nov. 4 election started Monday.
Because of the write-ins, voters being given their ballots are not getting the usual verbal instructions telling them to vote for one of the candidates listed in each race and complete the arrow after the name.
Instead, Shawano City Clerk Karla Duchac said, they are being directed to the written instructions on the ballot, which include an explanation of how to vote for a write-in.
Election inspectors can assist if a voter runs into problems filling out a ballot or using a touch-screen, Rueckert said, or if a voter has impaired vision or a problem reading or understanding.
“They can say where to mark it and how to mark it, but not how to answer it, of course,” Rueckert said.
If further assistance is required, the inspector has to sign off on the ballot, certifying their assistance in casting the ballot.
There are a variety of ballots used in municipalities throughout the county.
Some municipalities have paper ballots that use a “mark-the-box” format, which has space for a write-in underneath.
In the city of Shawano, voters can cast paper ballots that are optically scanned or use a touch screen.
“The paper ballot is obviously pretty easy,” Rueckert said. “The computer might be a little more intimidating.”
The touch screen will bring up a keyboard for voters who press the write-in option. They then can type the name of their candidate.
Voters will also be given a chance to verify their choices before the ballot is officially cast.
Touch screen voting makes it a bit easier for election inspectors counting the votes at the end of the night. The machines produce a paper tally that will show the results for all candidates, including write-ins.
The paper ballots have to be counted manually.
In cases where mistakes are made by voters, election inspectors will be looking for voter intent.
“If they write in a person’s name and don’t connect the arrow, that ballot will still be counted,” Rueckert said.
The same holds true for a voter who marks their ballot for a candidate whose name is listed but also writes in a registered write-in.
“You count only the write-in,” Rueckert said.
There has never been a countywide write-in race that has succeeded in Shawano County, but, Rueckert said one thing is almost guaranteed when it comes to tallying the results.
“It could make for a long night,” she said.