Racine, Wisconsin – A long-time serving Racine City Alderman has come forward detailing what they describe as systemic erosion of election safeguards in the City of Racine under Democratic Mayor Cory Mason’s administration. The alderman, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation in a city where politics and city employment often overlap, says they can no longer remain silent about practices that undermine public trust in local elections.
From Decentralized Counting to City Hall Control
Historically, Racine County ballots were counted at each individual polling site on Election Night, with results transmitted from those locations. That changed under Mayor Mason, who has held office since he was first elected in a special election held October 2017 and is now in his second full term. The mayor, a former State Assembly member, spearheaded efforts that brought significant private funding – including from Mark Zuckerberg’s network through the Center for Tech and Civic Life – into Wisconsin’s 2020 election operations. The source described a “close relationship” between Mason’s team and Zuckerberg operatives, saying Mason was instrumental in installing the “Zuckerbucks” operations statewide.
In 2020, roughly 40% of Racine ballots were cast absentee or early, according to the source. The alderman claims Mason aggressively pushed get-out-the-vote efforts directly out of City Hall, shifting operations toward centralized control.
Questions About the City Clerk’s Office
City Clerk Tara McMenamin, whom Mayor Mason appointed in February 2019, has emerged as a central figure in ongoing concerns surrounding Racine’s election administration. She later assumed an expanded role as Director of Customer Service and City Clerk in January 2024 (and Treasury Manager according to her LinkedIn Profile). Previous clerks were viewed as rule-of-law guardians who welcomed community participation as poll workers in the election process. Outgoing Clerk Janice Johnson-Martin reportedly warned colleagues, “Don’t trust Tara at all,” and urged others not to confirm her appointment, saying McMenamin lacked knowledge of the job and resisted training.
The source alleges this appointment grants Mason direct access to sensitive materials and data. The Mayor and Clerk receive detailed absentee and early voting information via Badger Books two days before Election Day, revealing who has already voted. According to the source, Mason now has access to the Clerk’s office, including blank ballots, certificate envelopes, and the official Clerk’s stamp used to certify ballots.
“Early voting ballots are not secure,” the alderman said. “They’re lying around willy nilly out in the open. Poll workers no longer review certificates – that’s handled by a small group under Tara’s oversight.”
Late-Night Access and Poll Worker Concerns
In the spring 2025 election, another alderman working central count on the second shift reportedly witnessed Mayor Mason entering the Clerk’s office at approximately 11 p.m. A complaint was filed, but the Wisconsin Elections Commission responded that clerks are given significant discretion. The source says the incident was never adequately addressed.
According to the source, roughly half of Racine’s poll workers are also City of Racine employees, creating potential conflicts. County Republican and Democrat parties submit recommended lists of poll workers for the Clerk’s consideration.
The parties submit lists of recommended poll workers (called election inspectors) every two years. Municipal clerks are generally expected to appoint from those party lists first. If additional workers are needed, clerks may appoint unaffiliated poll workers. The source claims the “unaffiliated” list is heavily influenced by Democratic selections, often tied to Mason. “If they pull two from the GOP list, they pull two from the Democrat list,” the source explained.
Two prominent examples are former Aldermen John Tate and Trevor Jung. Both served as poll workers during 2020-2022 cycles (unclear if either served in 2024) while employed by the city. Tate, a former Common Council President, faced a 2023 felony public corruption charge for allegedly negotiating his own employment as Racine’s Violence Prevention Manager (later Executive Director of Community Safety) while still in office. The charge was ultimately dismissed, but it highlighted concerns over self-dealing. He continues in a leadership role focused on community safety.
Trevor Jung, who left the Council to become the City’s Transit Director (now Director of Transit and Mobility), has since launched a campaign for Wisconsin State Senate 21st District as a Democrat. Both cases illustrate what the source calls “fat jobs” offered to politically aligned individuals with election involvement.
In fall 2024, two poll workers from the Republican list filed a circuit court complaint after being passed over. The Clerk’s office cited a single missed training (offering only one date/time slot available for training); the judge ruled that more training opportunities must be provided before finalizing the selection process.
The Mobile Voting Van Controversy
The alderman says the mobile voting van was purchased for $250,000 in 2020 election cycle and later modified for ADA compliance at an additional cost. According to the source, the van is deployed exclusively on Racine’s east side – heavily Democratic areas –it has drawn legal challenges since 2020. A Racine County judge previously ruled mobile sites unlawful under state law, though higher courts have dismissed related suits on procedural grounds without fully resolving the core issues.
A Call for Accountability
The alderman emphasized that these issues erode confidence in elections that should belong to the people, not City Hall.
“Previous clerks followed the rules and pushed back when instructed to do things they weren’t supposed to do” the source said. Now, with centralized data, unsecured materials, late-night access, and selective staffing, the system favors those in power, particularly the offices of the Mayor and Clerk. A large number of poll workers also work for the same mayor they’re supposed to keep in check.
The alderman hopes this information prompts greater scrutiny and reforms to restore decentralized counting where feasible, stricter separation of powers, transparent poll worker selection, and secure ballot handling. As this alderman warns, when insiders control the process from City Hall, the people lose faith in the results. With the governor’s race looming, it’s imperative we have greater transparency into the Racine election process before the August 11 primary.
