Recall Elections to Cost Wauwatosa Taxpayers $33,000

City Clerk Carla Ledesma has asked the Wauwatosa Common Council for $33,000 to pay for the cost of upcoming recall elections.

The recall primary on May 8 and recall election on June 5 are special elections and were therefore not budgeted to her elections fund, Ledesma wrote in a memo to the council.

The city is required to pay, in whole or in part, for election expenses such as mailing envelopes and postage for absentee ballots, provisional ballot envelopes, poll lists, ineligible voter lists, poll worker salaries, poll worker supplies, polling place notices, voting equipment supplies and maintenance, staff overtime, temporary office staffing, training and instructional materials, school district overtime and other miscellaneous costs.

The money will come out of the city's Reserve for Contingencies Fund. The council will vote on the transfer Tuesday night but has no real choice but to approve it, as the special elections are mandated.

Ledesma also notes to voters that only candidates within a party who face opposition will show up on the primary ballot. Candidates within a party who do not have opposition will not appear on the primary ballot.

A voter can vote for only one candidate for each office.

A voter will be able to vote for, say, a Republican Governor candidate and a Democratic Lt. Governor candidate. There are no party restrictions.

Residents may call the City Clerk’s office at 479-8917 with any election-related questions.