Looking for the state training requirements to become a county clerk? There is no need to grab a pen. There are none. The details were revealed by the Government Accountability Board when asked what kind of training was required of Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus. “The state law does not have any specific training requirements for county clerks,” says GAB spokesperson Reid Magney. Nickolaus handed over election duties to her deputy clerk, after she was pressured to hand over responsibilities following a chaotic primary night. The clerk says computer software malfunctioned, which forced her office to count and check results by hand. The incident comes less than a year after Nickolaus forgot to hit the save button during the state supreme court election, which changed the result of the statewide race.
The GAB says they will be watching the upcoming election preparations in Waukesha very closely, but there are no requirements for the deputy clerk to be trained by the state. “We at the GAB typically work with county clerks to provide them with information and training. However state law doesn’t specifically say that county clerk needs a certain number of hours or a certain, you know, course,” says Magney.