Donald Trump recently gained attention in Wisconsin after Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt proudly claimed at a Trump rally that his efforts eliminated all ballot drop boxes in the 2024 election. While Schmidt’s statement wasn’t entirely accurate, it sparked cheers from the crowd, with Trump giving him a double thumbs-up.
Ballot drop boxes, a key tool during the 2020 election, have turned into a political battleground in Wisconsin. The state’s two biggest cities, Milwaukee and Madison, still offer plenty of drop box locations, while other municipalities, often more conservative, have opted not to use them.
Legal challenges to drop boxes have shifted dramatically. In 2020, they were legal statewide. A 2022 ban mostly eliminated them until a recent ruling by Wisconsin’s newly liberal-controlled Supreme Court reinstated their use. According to Wisconsin Elections Commission data, at least 78 drop boxes are now in use, a significant drop from the 528 recorded in 2020.
A Tight Race in Wisconsin
Wisconsin remains a crucial swing state in the 2024 race. Four years ago, Joe Biden won the state by less than 1 percentage point, and current polls suggest it will be just as close this time. With election integrity and ballot access under scrutiny, the debate over drop boxes reflects a larger national conversation.
Voting rights groups like the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign have expressed frustration over the decrease in drop boxes, noting pressure on local officials to limit their use. Nick Ramos, executive director of the group, described it as a “coordinated campaign” to discourage their deployment.
Wausau’s Drop Box Controversy
In Wausau, a small blue city in a red county, drop boxes have ignited fierce debate. Republican Mayor Doug Diny removed the city’s drop box last month, sparking outrage and an investigation. Diny claimed the box was unsecured and susceptible to theft, but voting rights advocates argue he had no right to interfere with voters’ access to it. The drop box was later returned to its place in front of City Hall under tight security.
The local backlash culminated in a heated City Council meeting, with residents taking opposing sides. Some supported Diny’s move, while others accused him of undermining democracy. The debate even led to protests outside City Hall, where police monitored tensions between both groups.
A Changing Legal Landscape
Ballot drop boxes, once a non-controversial voting method, became a political flashpoint after the 2020 election. Initially, Wisconsin’s Republican leaders supported them, citing state rules that deemed drop boxes secure. But after Trump’s narrow loss in the state, the GOP shifted its stance, with some Republican officials filing lawsuits to ban drop boxes entirely.
In 2022, Wisconsin’s conservative-controlled Supreme Court ruled against drop boxes, limiting their use to clerks’ offices. However, the election of liberal Judge Janet Protasiewicz in 2023 flipped the court’s balance, and the justices overturned the previous ruling. Now, local clerks have the power to decide whether or not to use drop boxes.
Republican Pushback
Conservative leaders across Wisconsin continue to challenge the use of drop boxes. Sheriff Schmidt of Dodge County took center stage at a Trump rally, boasting about pressuring clerks to remove drop boxes. Meanwhile, GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde expressed concerns about voter fraud, even proposing round-the-clock surveillance of drop boxes to prevent tampering.
True the Vote, a conservative group known for pushing election conspiracy theories, has launched efforts to monitor drop boxes across the state. The group plans to set up video livestreams to track all ballot drop-off activity, a move that has raised concerns about potential voter intimidation.
Law Forward, a legal group defending voting rights, argues that while observation of drop boxes is lawful, there’s a fine line between oversight and intimidation. Voter rights advocates stress the importance of safe, accessible voting methods, especially as Wisconsin’s tight race remains pivotal in the national election landscape.
