Wisconsin ballot drop box restored after mayor removed it

Defying the mayor of a city in Wisconsin who removed an empty ballot drop-off box outside of city hall, a Wasau city clerk had it returned, this time fastening it to the ground in accordance with guidance from the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the United States Election Assistance Commission.

Mayor Doug Diny removed the drop box eight days ago and photographed himself doing so, but on Monday the Associated Press reported that clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde had it reinstalled.

Wisconsin, especially Democrat-controlled areas of what’s considered a swing state in the upcoming presidential election, embraced drop boxes four years ago as a way to make voting easier during the pandemic.

While the Wisconsin Supreme Court in July ruled that drop boxes are legal, it left it to local communities to decide whether to use them or not, and more than five dozen cities, towns, and villages have chosen not to do so.

Diny said he wants the Wausau city council to discuss whether boxes should be used. Meanwhile, the Marathon County district attorney wants the state Department of Justice to review the dispute.