We know the truth. Wisconsin voters can have confidence in our election system. | Opinion

From our years serving as election clerks in Chippewa County and Milwaukee County, we have the utmost confidence in Wisconsin’s election process . We are assured from our firsthand experience that it is tried, tested, and truly reflects the will of the voters.

In an election year, we think it’s important to share why we are and have always been confident in Wisconsin’s election system.

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that Wisconsin elections are safeguarded to ensure fair and accurate results. Our elections work because we have tried-and-tested systems in place to make sure votes are cast fairly and counted correctly. Our elections have many built-in safeguards in place before, during and after a vote is cast to ensure that the final results will be accurate and reflect the voice of Wisconsinites.

Wisconsin has stringent security measures to protect ballots

Like many states, Wisconsin utilizes a combination of paper ballots and electronic systems (tabulators) to count votes, providing a reliable and verifiable method of vote counting. Tabulators have modernized the vote counting process by providing a way for election officials to count voter selections from paper ballots quickly and accurately. In fact, evidence proves they are more accurate than hand counting. Each individual voter is then marked with their voter number on the poll book once they receive their ballot. Every vote and tabulation is meticulously backed up with paper ballots, ensuring that each voter is accounted for in our poll books once their vote is counted.

Ensuring that our electronic election systems operate ethically and responsibly, Wisconsin implements stringent security measures to safeguard against tampering or hacking. Voting machines are publicly inspected and tested before and after elections.

Voter fraud is rare. Your ballot is protected for Wisconsin election.

Wisconsin statutes require a post-election audit of voting systems used in Wisconsin after each general election, assessing the accuracy and performance of each voting system approved for use in the state. Voters can be certain that through these comprehensive audits, final election results accurately reflect the voice of Wisconsin voters.

We have firsthand experience with the robustness of our electoral process. Wisconsin's comprehensive auditing approaches include rigorous, multi-level checks from detailed state examinations of voting machines to collaborative county reviews of election outcomes and procedures at the municipal level. This thorough framework ensures the accuracy of vote counts, which, supported by paper ballots, reinforces the trust and confidence Wisconsinites have in the accuracy of our elections.

Decentralized voting system helps protect against widespread fraud

Further safeguarding the security and the accuracy of our elections, Wisconsin has a decentralized voting system, where 72 individual county clerks and 1,850 municipal clerks manage their election processes for their own community. This decentralized approach enhances transparency and significantly reduces the likelihood of widespread fraud.

Trust and participation in our elections are the cornerstone of a strong democracy. Multiple reports have proven that the 2020 general election results were fair and accurate. Additionally, in Wisconsin specifically, a yearlong investigation into the 2020 election confirmed that the votes were counted properly. The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty’s (WILL) audit and review of the 2020 election, have affirmed that the results in Wisconsin were fair and accurate with no evidence of fraud.

Despite the evidence, misinformation regarding the state's vote counting system continues to spread. It is essential, now more than ever, that Wisconsinites turn to credible sources and thoughtful leaders, including local election officials and trusted community leaders, to stay accurately informed.

Wisconsin's vote counting system is well-designed and effectively ensures the integrity of our elections. We must prioritize a commitment to truth and accurate information to maintain the faith of the people in our democratic processes. We stand by the security of our process while recognizing we must continually work to strengthen trust in our elections through transparency and bipartisan cooperation. Let us come together, united by a common understanding of our electoral system, to safeguard the bedrock of our democracy: free and fair elections.

Kathy Bernier serves as the Wisconsin State Director for Keep Our Republic, leading the organization’s bipartisan hyper-localized civic education efforts. She served in the State Legislature from 2016 to 2023 and worked as Chippewa County Clerk from 1999 to 2011, overseeing elections. Joseph J. Czarnezki served in the legislature from 1981-1993. He also served 8 years as the County Clerk of Milwaukee County as well as various positions with the City of Milwaukee.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: We know the truth. Wisconsin voters can have confidence in our election system. | Opinion