Tipsheet

Were Wisconsin Poll Workers Fired for Doing Their Jobs?

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  May 07, 2026 3:30 PM

With the midterms on the horizon and election integrity on the minds of Republican voters, this story out of Racine, Wisconsin, should raise eyebrows. President Trump won Wisconsin, a swing state, buy a slim margin. That means any irregularities could tip the scales in favor of Democrats.

That's why two GOP poll workers in Racine pointed out irregularities in elections they worked, and for doing so, they said they were dismissed by the City of Racine. This included noticing "pre-filled ballots" in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.

Here's more:

Two longtime Republican volunteers with years of service as poll workers in Racine County were abruptly removed from their duties without explanation or prior disciplinary action, the Heartland Post has learned exclusively. Both individuals, who requested anonymity, have volunteered for several elections and believe they were targeted due to their ties to the Racine County GOP.

The removals come amid ongoing scrutiny of election administration in the City of Racine under City Clerk Tara McMenamin. One volunteer, who began serving in 2013 and advanced to leadership roles at City of Racine polling sites, had previously flagged multiple procedural violations. These included pre-filled ballots discovered at the bottom of a bin during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and instructions from a polling chief to skip on-site ballot counting at the end of Election Day, instead delivering bins directly to City Hall for counting—a clear departure from standard protocol requiring tabulation and reporting at the polling location before transfer.

The source reported these and other infractions to both the polling chief and Clerk McMenamin’s office. Racine County Clerk’s Office oversees broader election functions, but city-level operations fall under McMenamin. The county clerk position was historically elected; McMenamin’s role as city clerk involved appointment rather than direct election in her initial selection. Both were notified that their services were no longer needed when registering as poll workers for the Spring Election held April 7.

Both removed poll workers are active in Republican circles but properly registered as non-partisan for election duties, as required. Involvement with a political party outside official hours is lawful. When one inquired about reinstatement, they received vague responses citing “complaints from other poll workers” and “voters,” which longtime colleagues flatly denied. No formal reprimands, citations, or performance issues were ever documented against either volunteer.

As The Heartland Post notes, there are "long-standing tensions" in Racine, with the Republican National Committee suing the city after alleging it failed to hire sufficient Republican poll workers to adhere to state laws concerning partisan balance.

Doubtful.

Omerta is the mafia code of silence, for those unaware. It seems to also be the code of the City of Racine when it comes to election integrity issues.

At a minimum, this warrants further investigation. But will the Wisconsin Elections Commission or others dig into the story?