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Madison’s mayor announced the appointment of Lydia McComas, an official from Minnesota, as the city’s new clerk Wednesday, marking a fresh start for election administration in Wisconsin’s state capital after the turmoil triggered by the loss of 193 ballots in November 2024.
McComas, who will begin Sept. 29, previously managed the voter engagement division in Hennepin County, Minnesota, a jurisdiction with over 700,000 voters that encompasses Minneapolis and some of its suburbs.
“I will work every day to uphold the values of accountability, accuracy, and accessibility that are essential to this office,” McComas said in a statement.
Madison is still working to rebuild its reputation after the November 2024 ballot snafu, when election officials lost track of nearly 200 ballots. The error led to the suspension and ultimately the resignation of Maribeth Witzel-Behl, who was Madison clerk for over 20 years and was recognized by other Wisconsin clerks as a leader and mentor.
Mike Haas, the city attorney and former administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, has served as interim clerk for much of this year.
Beyond adjusting to a new set of election laws in Wisconsin, McComas will have to ensure compliance with several specific orders that the election commission imposed on Madison to keep such errors from happening again.
During her time in Hennepin County, McComas oversaw compliance with election laws and developed training for poll workers. She managed several aspects of the voting process, from registering voters to certifying election results.
“She’ll be able to offer a valuable fresh perspective to our Clerk’s Office operations, while building on the many areas of strength the office has established over the years,” Madison Mayor Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “She has strong communication skills and has led voter education campaigns with both community groups and the wider public.”
McComas has a political science degree from the University of Minnesota, and a certificate in election administration from the university’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Alexander Shur is a reporter for Votebeat based in Wisconsin. Contact Alexander at ashur@votebeat.org.
