Early Voting Starts In Wisconsin, Drop Boxes Blocked

By Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner

March 23, 2022

Early voting in Wisconsin’s April 5 spring election began on Tuesday with local races across the state on the ballot, including Milwaukee mayor, seats on court benches, county boards, city councils and school boards.

Voters are able to return absentee ballots to their local clerk’s offices, designated polling places or drop the ballot in the mail. Ballots can also be dropped off at the polls on Election Day. Locations and office hours are available from local municipal clerks.

Because of a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling, absentee ballot drop boxes that have been used in several previous elections are no longer allowed. Advocates for voters with disabilities have alleged that the ruling, along with its provision that individual voters can only return their own ballot and not another person’s, will disenfranchise people who are unable to do so because of a disability.

The court allowed drop boxes to be used for the February primary election but not in April. It hasn’t yet ruled on their use in this year’s other elections in August and November.

Since the 2020 presidential election, Republicans have focused on drop boxes as a source of potential fraud — despite their use in elections prior to 2020 and their importance to disabled voters. The lawsuit that ended their use was brought by Republican voters in Waukesha County, and Republican candidates for governor have called for their prohibition. The claims about drop boxes are part of Republican conspiracy theories that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who is on the ballot to earn a full term in the position, said in a statement that it’s wrong to make it harder for people to cast a ballot.

“Dropboxes are a secure and convenient way for people to cast their ballots,” Johnson said. “We need to increase access to the polls, and make it easier for citizens to vote, not harder.”

Some cities may still have the drop boxes in place, but if a voter uses one the vote will not be counted.

The last day to request an absentee ballot by mail, online or fax is March 31. The last day to request an absentee ballot in person at a clerk’s office is April 3.

A returned absentee ballot envelope must be signed by the voter and a witness, along with both of their addresses.

Absentee ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on April 5.

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