### Early Morning Routines and Election Day Duties: A Glimpse into Grassroots Democracy

Graceann Toberman begins her day before the crack of dawn, rising from her bed at 3:50 a.m. on her 120-acre farm in southern Wisconsin. In the quiet, pre-dawn hours, she tends to her chores—feeding the animals and making sure everything is in order. By 5 a.m., she's already at work, wearing jeans and rubber boots as she hauls buckets of feed outside her chicken coop. But her responsibilities don't end there. Today, she transitions from farmer to municipal clerk, overseeing the presidential election in the town of Magnolia.

At 61, Ms. Toberman stands among the 1,800-plus municipal clerks in Wisconsin, a state known for having more local election officials than anywhere else in the nation. Over the past 21 years in this nonpartisan elected position, she has managed every election in Magnolia, a small farming community of 734 people.

In her modest yet organized kitchen, Ms. Toberman meticulously logs election-related data. This year, Magnolia has 466 registered voters, with 58 absentee ballots distributed and 39 citizens voting early. Remarkably, her own farm on County Road B served as the early voting center. The process is straightforward: verify the voter’s photo ID, hand over the ballot and envelope, and give them some privacy at her kitchen table to vote.

One notable early voter was Eileen Kopp, a 95-year-old resident of Magnolia. Encouraged by Ms. Toberman during a Sunday Mass, Ms. Kopp arrived that same afternoon to vote from her car, using a walker. Ms. Toberman greeted her with a ballot and envelope, allowing Ms. Kopp to vote comfortably from her vehicle. "Here comes my voter," Ms. Toberman remarked as she watched Ms. Kopp's black Buick pull up. The ballot was filled out, handed back, and promptly logged on Ms. Toberman's laptop, ready to be stored securely until Election Day.

The quiet, orderly approach to managing elections in Magnolia stands in stark contrast to the national narrative of election fraud and concerns over ballot integrity. Only once has Ms. Toberman had to address a resident's question about election security, calmly explaining the rigorous procedures in place. The resident left satisfied, reassured by the transparency.

Ms. Toberman's longstanding dedication to her role demonstrates the importance of grassroots efforts in upholding democratic processes. "I've been doing this quite a few years," she said confidently. "They know me."

As Election Day arrives, the accumulated efforts of such dedicated individuals ensure that democracy functions smoothly, even in the smallest corners of the country.