Could former Ale Asylum strengthen election security? Dane County clerk says yes

MADISON (WKOW) -- The Dane County government may soon become the new owner of the former Ale Asylum building on Madison's northside. 

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell wants to turn the Pankratz Street location into an election center that would play host to many election officials' offices and store all of the county's election equipment.

"We talk about election deniers that's a real problem," McDonell said. "Russians, that's another problem. Water, another big problem for us."

McDonell delivered the remarks at a Thursday press conference within the building from behind an improvised and on-theme podium: a stack of beer kegs. 

McDonell is hoping to protect Dane County's elections from many threats by keeping all voting equipment in a single, 45,000 sq. ft. building. Right now, all of that machinery is spread out across the county which leaves it vulnerable to numerous problems.

27 News asked McDonell if centralizing elections equipment and operations would expose them to more loss in the event of a fire or other disaster. McDonell countered by pointing out that many of the places these assets currently reside lack basic security measures or even heating in the winter.

"Madison's had their equipment flooded out twice," McDonell said. "They've had to replace all their scanners twice."

He argues that the building, wedged between Packers Avenue and the airport, would offer safety from the many esoteric, yet common, threats voting machines face when they are stored along side other government operations.

"We have hundreds of toilets above our server room, that's really bad." McDonell said. "We've had water come in multiple times. We'd like to think it's water."

But purchasing the Ale Asylum building would go beyond protecting election security and also focus on making election workers feel like their lives are safe.

McDonell recalled the death threats Madison's clerk received after the 2020 election and referenced "other" instances of Dane County clerks enduring recent threats. 

The toxic environment has driven clerks out of their roles.

The renovations for the building would include security upgrades.

"Now they'll be in a building where they know they have a secure entrance," McDonell said. "People have to be able to swipe to get in, they'll have the ability to get out of the building."

McDonell pushed back on questions about whether creating a citadel of election security with more barriers to election officials would fan the flames of conspiracy theorists.

He argued the main purpose is to create a place built for modern, turbulent elections.

"The small town clerk doesn't have their DS200 in their broom closet, and isn't being overwhelmed by election deniers in her office," McDonell said in reference to a standard piece of election machinery. "It'll be here instead."

The Dane County Board would need to approve the purchase of the building before the election center could become reality, but Board Chair Patrick Miles expressed confidence the board would back the plan.

The purchase could be approved as soon as early November. 

The county has already allocated $18 million in the budget to fund the purchase and renovations.