Voters in fall opted for appointed town clerks, treasurers

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Voters in fall opted for appointed town clerks, treasurers

In at least 16 Wisconsin towns, voters in the November election decided to allow their town clerks or treasurers to be appointed by the town board instead of electing them at large. State law allows for these appointments, but requires a referendum in towns with populations of less than 2,500.

Seven towns opted for appointing both clerks and treasurers, while seven opted for an appointed clerk and two for an appointed treasurer. Supporters of these moves say they give town leaders more flexibility in finding clerks or treasurers with specialized knowledge who may live outside the town’s borders.

This information is a service of the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the state’s leading resource for nonpartisan state and local government research and civic education. Learn more at wispolicyforum.org.

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