Brown Co. clerk raises Election Day concerns, WEC disputes

GREEN BAY (WLUK) – Brown County Clerk Sandy Juno raised concerns about the presence of an outside organization at Green Bay’s election night count – but the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s said the city didn’t do anything prohibited.

In the months leading up to the election, a group called the Center for Tech and Civic Life distributed grants to multiple cities in the state to assist with election expenses and administration, including more than $1 million to Green Bay. A federal lawsuit was filed challenging the grants, but a federal judge denied a request to stop municipalities from using the money.

In an Election Day letter to the WEC, Juno wrote “I believe the central count location is tainted by the influence of a person working for an outside organization affecting the election. Please explain how grant money from a private outside organization and employee from a private outside organization does not violate election laws for free and fair elections?”

Nathan Judnic, WEC staff attorney, replied, according to emails obtained by FOX 11.

“We’ve had several conversations with Green Bay leading up to today and are aware that they were going to be using consultants from some outside groups today. We’ve discussed the roles these individuals were going to be assigned and told them that while there is nothing that would prohibit the City of from using these individuals, the inspectors and the absentee board of canvassers working the location are the individuals that are to be making decisions, not the consultants. I have talked to Kim, the Deputy Clerk who was going to reach out to the central count folks and reinforce this guidance.,” Judnic wrote.

He also referenced the lawsuit: “I’m only really aware of the recent litigation related to grants given to municipalities which included Green Bay, Milwaukee, Madison and a couple others, but I was under the impression that case was dismissed and the US Supreme Court chose not to take it up prior to the election.”

FOX 11 asked Juno for comment Wednesday, but she said she too busy with the county’s election canvass to comment.

State Rep. Shae Sortwell, who is a member of the Assembly Campaigns and Elections Committee, cited Juno’s concerns in a news release Wednesday saying the city’s actions are being investigated.