GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – When it comes to elections in Wisconsin, they’re handled on the municipal level.
There are 1,850 municipal clerks and 72 county clerks in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
The commission says each county has a clerk who is elected. On the municipal level, clerks can be appointed or elected… most are appointed.
Not all of those clerk positions are filled.
“We get a new clerk or two every day and we’re looking at 25% to 30% turnover in clerks in a year,” said Reid Magney.
Magney is the Wisconsin Elections Commission public information officer.
Magney tells FOX 11 that the turnover rate is mainly for small municipalities where the clerk’s job is often appointed and part-time.
“In the small ones, that person has to wear many hats and sometimes will answer to a town board that may not always give them the resources they need.”
Magney also points toward a steep learning curve, relatively low pay, and burnout as other reasons for high turnover. The commission says municipalities are usually able to find a replacement when a clerk leaves, the clerk still has to be trained.
Sandy Juno is the Brown County clerk. She says there isn’t much turnover in Brown County’s municipalities but tells FOX 11 others aren’t as fortunate.
“My neighbor in Oconto County, they’ve experienced a high turnover in their municipal clerks and with all the technology and laws changing. You know, to have somebody that sticks with it, it’s really nice to have that stability.”
She also offers insight into why some county clerks may be leaving.
“We’ve had a number of retirements that have occurred mid-cycle. So they have new county clerks coming in.”
Juno plans to retire. Her term ends in January of 2021.
Juno says her chief deputy and other staff members are taking over a lot of her duties to help make sure they’re prepared before she leaves.
County clerks are elected to a four-year term.
Brown County’s new clerk will be selected in the November 2020 election.
