Wisconsin's district attorney plans to investigate a mayor for removing official ballot drop boxes.
Wausau Mayor Doug Dinney recently made a spectacle of removing the voter drop box outside City Hall.
He posted a photo of himself on social media Sunday, showing himself carrying away a metal ballot container while wearing a helmet and gloves.
Wisconsin Republican Party demands investigation after city of Madison mails out more than 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots
This photo posted on social media by Wausau Mayor Doug Dinney shows him using a trolley to remove the city's only mailbox from in front of Wausau, Wisconsin City Hall. (Doug Deeney, via AP)
County Clerk Caitlin Barnard reported Dinney to Marathon County District Attorney Teresa Wetzsteon, who is currently conducting an investigation through the state Department of Justice.
According to local reports, the ballot box was empty and unused when it was removed.
“This is no different than having a maintenance person move it outside,” Dinney said Wednesday. “I am a member of [the] staff. Nothing bad is happening here. I hope for good results. ”
New liberal majority in Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns decision banning ballot drop boxes in most battleground states
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said removing the drop boxes was a mistake and insisted they be placed outside City Hall.
“Dropbox voting is safe, secure and legal,” Evers said on social media. “As elected officials, we should strive to make it easier, not just easier, for all eligible Wisconsinites to vote. That's democracy.”
A resident drops a mail-in ballot into an official ballot box outside the Tippecanoe Branch Library in Milwaukee during the 2020 presidential election. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The state Supreme Court ruled in July 2022 that absentee mailboxes like those used during the 2020 presidential election are not allowed under state law.
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The court ruled that the Wisconsin Elections Commission's guidance encouraging its use was illegal, but that ruling was overturned by the court's new liberal majority in July 2024.
The move sparked protests in the city Tuesday night and angered dropbox supporters, but is the latest example of a battle over whether communities will allow it in the battleground state of Wisconsin. absentee ballot box.
More than 60 towns, villages and cities in nine counties declined to use absentee ballot drop boxes in November's presidential election, according to a tally by the group All Voting is Local. Dropbox is gaining acceptance in heavily Democratic cities such as Milwaukee and Madison. There are a total of 72 counties in Wisconsin.
Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
