BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – $1,200, that’s how much each qualifying Wisconsin municipality and county can receive thanks to a $1.1 million federal grant.
“We’re also upgrading our software versions so there’s a number of different pieces of firewalls and stuff that you can add on to increase your security so that’s probably where we will be requesting our money for,” said Sandy Juno.
Juno is the Brown County clerk and tells FOX 11 how the county does during an election year.
“Brown County, for the most part, our specific election equipment used in the polls, we’ve pretty much been a leader in making sure our equipment is up to date and current.”
Elections are run at the municipal level. During the September elections commission meeting it was determined that election clerks in 215 communities are using only Windows 7 devices.
Of the 215 clerks using Windows 7, the commission says about 65 don’t have firm plans to replace the equipment after January primarily because of cost concerns.
“We needed to make sure that everybody had the tools they need going into 2020,” said Reid Magney.
He is the elections commission public information officer and tells FOX 11 how grant money could help those smaller communities.
“Which is why we decided to distribute $1.1 million of the federal money we got to local clerks to make sure they have up to date computers as well as professional IT services.”
Magney says municipalities and counties have until November 15th to apply for the grant.
The elections commission hopes those who apply for the grant have what they need before the end of January.
