Swing state of Wisconsin sees 80% cut in number of ballot drop boxes

[Craig Nigrelli]

WITH JUST OVER TWO WEEKS TO GO UNTIL THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, WISCONSIN IS NOT ONLY A  KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE IN THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE.  IT WILL ALSO HOLD A A PIVOTAL CONTEST THAT COULD SWING THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE U.S. SENATE.  NOW, VOTERS IN THE BADGER STATE WILL HAVE FEWER OPTIONS, WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING ABSENTEE.

COUNTIES, CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE STATE HAVE CUT BACK, DRASTICALLY, ON THE NUMBER OF ABSENTEE DROP-BOXES.  THE NUMBER IS DOWN MORE THAN 80% SINCE THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, WHEN THERE WERE MORE THAN 500 AVAILABLE.  THIS YEAR, THERE ARE 78 DROP BOXES IN 42 COMMUNITIES OR MUNICIPALITIES. 

MILWAUKEE AND MADISON, LARGE CITIES WITH A BIG DEMOCRATIC ADVANTAGE, HAVE 14 EACH.  HOWEVER, MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES REPORT ONLY HAVING ONE. 

A CANVAS,  DONE BY THE GROUP ALL VOTING IS LOCAL,  FOUND DOZENS OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES WHERE THERE ARE NO DROP BOXES FOR BALLOTS, AT ALL.  MANY ARE IN CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITIES. 

THE STATE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS THAT NEARLY A QUARTER-OF-A-MILLION WISCONSINITES HAVE ALREADY CAST ABSENTEE BALLOTS THIS YEAR.   BUT THAT NUMBER IS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE 700,000 CAST BY THIS POINT IN 2020. 

JOE BIDEN WON WISCONSIN BY LESS THAN ONE PERCENTAGE POINT OVER DONALD TRUMP IN 2020.  SOME REPUBLICANS HAVE INSISTED THAT DROP BOXES ARE NOT SAFE WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTION SECURITY AND THEIR USE INCREASES THE CHANCE OF VOTER FRAUD.  

CONSERVATIVES WON A COURT BATTLE IN 2022 THAT CHALLENGED THE USE OF UNSTAFFED DROP BOXES IN PUBLIC PLACES.  THE STATE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED THAT RULING IN 2023 LEAVING IT UP TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO USE THEM. 

ABSENTEE **IN-PERSON** VOTING STARTS IN WISCONSIN THIS UPCOMING TUESDAY.  FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS AP