Oconto County clerk: Report election violations immediately

With the Nov. 8 election looming, Oconto County Clerk Kim Pytleski took some time at the Oct. 20 county board meeting to offer a variation on the theme “If you see something, say something.”

Allegations of election irregularities have been part of both political parties’ arsenals dating back to the disputed count in the 2000 presidential election pitting George W. Bush and Al Gore, but the rhetoric has reached a fever pitch in recent years.

Pytleski said local clerks take complaints seriously and personally, but the most important thing is to report any alleged violations immediately.

“It doesn’t do any good to come back years later and say, ‘In this election, I saw this or I heard this, or this website says, but I don’t remember the name of the website or when I looked at it,’” Pytleski said. “I will run down any complaint that you have or any issue, but it has to be timely, and it has to be specific.”

She added that she doesn’t engage with people on social media even when she sees false statements out there.

“There have been situations where I’ve seen something false that someone has posted on social media, and typically I will call or make contact on the phone to correct it, and then I’ll ask if they’ll please correct it on their social media account,” Pytleski said.

County Board Chairman Alan Sleeter defended the work of the various municipal clerks who must undergo training to make sure the election count is accurate.

“We go to great lengths to make sure our elections are secure and safe and fair,” said Sleeter, who also serves as Bagley town clerk.

Pytleski also noted the intense pressure to “get it right” in the current volatile political environment.

“It has gotten very, very rough for a lot of our clerks, and a lot of them are deciding that it’s not worth it,” she said.