Local polls draw hundreds amid virus scare

About 500 Village of Grafton residents and 400 people from the Town of Grafton voted in person during Tuesday’s election after the Wisconsin Supreme Court overrode Gov. Tony Evers’ order to delay voting until June due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

“The whole thing was a challenge because of the constant changes from the state. It was hard to keep up with the laws as they came through,” Village Clerk Kaity Olsen said, noting election results won’t be available until Monday, April 13. 

Olsen said about 3,500 village residents voted, with approximately 3,000 casting absentee ballots.

Thirty election inspectors were on hand at Grace Lutheran Church, wearing gloves and masks. Olsen said the state provided pens for every voter, and there were two members of the National Guard helping out by sanitizing voting stations and other public areas every five minutes.

In the Town of Grafton, 1,693 people or 57% of registered voters participated in the election. Town Chairman Lester Bartel said about 400 residents voted in person. 

Olsen said she was concerned about the health of the election inspectors.

“I made an obligation to protect my election inspectors no matter what the cost. I didn’t feel like I was able to do that this time,” she said.

“We were able to provide masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, but it only takes one person. I am concerned someone might have contracted something because we did have quite a few walk-ins.”

Olsen said she had to turn away a number of volunteers who wanted to help. 

This was the second time Grace Lutheran Church was used as the village’s polling location after it was moved from John Long Middle School. Olsen said there is a learning curve with the new site.

“There’s always going to be hiccups. We still need to figure out our flow. The first time was a little chaotic, but now I think we’re getting it down,” she said.

Although results won’t be in until Monday, candidates running for Grafton Village Board are Trustee Lisa Uribe Harbeck and newcomers Amy Luft and Daniel Delorit. The three are running unopposed because trustees Susan Meinecke and David Liss did not seek re-election. 

In the Town of Grafton, board members Tom Sykora and Tom Grabow are running unopposed.

Trustees and supervisors serve two-year terms.

Grafton School Board President Paul Lorge and members Steve Nauta and Carrie Walls are also running unopposed. 

School Board members serve three-year terms.