Graceann Toberman began her day at 3:50 a.m. on Tuesday at her 120-acre farm in southern Wisconsin, preparing for the presidential election. As a municipal clerk, she has been responsible for overseeing elections in Magnolia, a rural community of 734 residents, for the past 21 years.
Ms. Toberman, 61, is one of more than 1,800 municipal clerks in Wisconsin, the state with the highest number of local election officials. On the morning of the election, she completed her morning chores before heading to town hall to administer the election.
In her kitchen, she kept detailed records for the election, noting the number of registered voters, absentee ballots sent out, and early voters. Early voting took place at her farm, where she provided privacy for voters to fill out their ballots.
On the day before the election, she assisted 95-year-old Eileen Kopp, who was able to vote from her car. Ms. Toberman emphasized the importance of election security and explained the ballot collection and storage process to a concerned resident, who left satisfied.
In the weeks leading up to the election, Ms. Toberman prepared by ensuring farm duties were completed and making improvements at the town hall, including hanging new curtains in the voting booths. She expressed concern over public discussions about election fraud, emphasizing the checks and balances in place to ensure election integrity.
On Election Day, she set up for voting at the town hall, where she welcomed election inspectors and laid out name tags. Ms. Toberman transported absentee ballots in a secure lockbox, highlighting her commitment to maintaining ballot security. She recognized a majority of the voters but ensured they followed identification protocols before casting their votes.
As the polls opened at 7 a.m., voters eagerly lined up outside. Ms. Toberman prepared to begin the voting process, reflecting on the community's support and her role in facilitating the election.