A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Marathon County Election Department on October 30, 2024. The request was made by The Sconi, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request specifically asked for information about the methods used by the department to count ballots in the upcoming election. If manual counting is being employed, The Sconi has also requested an estimated number of people who will be working on election night.
As a media organization, we at The Sconi are involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
The Marathon County Election Department has yet to respond to this FOIA request. We will continue to follow up on this matter and provide updates as they become available.
