Wisconsin Supreme Court Bans Ballot Drop Boxes

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Facts

  • The Wisconsin (WI) Supreme Court voted 4-3 on Fri. to outlaw absentee-ballot drop boxes, ruling that absentee-ballots must either be returned by mail or personally delivered to local election offices.1
  • The court also ruled that only the voter may hand-deliver a ballot, barring in-person collection efforts by third parties that critics call ballot harvesting.1
  • However, the court didn't address whether someone other than the voter can send a ballot by mail, likely meaning that people can still collect multiple ballots and send them via mail.2
  • The lawsuit was brought forward by two WI voters who argued that drop boxes cause 'doubts about the fairness of the elections and erodes voter confidence in the electoral process.'3
  • The case came after an increase in WI votes cast through drop boxes during the pandemic-era 2020 elections. Before COVID, early voting was predominantly in-person.4
  • The ruling will take effect in time for the Aug. 9 primaries and the midterm elections this fall.2

Sources: 1Wall Street Journal, 2PBS NewsHour, 3Daily Wire and 4New York Times.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by Slate. This decision not only complicates what had been a seamless voting process but also adds fuel to election-denying conspiracy theories - undermining free and fair elections under the guise of protecting them.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by Townhall. This ruling is a win for those who care about maintaining election integrity. A legitimate election must work within the law, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision is rightly enforcing this.