Judge agrees with GOP on ballot drop boxes

A judge has sided with conservatives, ruling that absentee ballot drop boxes cannot be located anywhere other than at offices of local clerks and that no one other than the voter may return such a ballot.

Luke Berg with the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty successfully argued the drop boxes aren’t mentioned anywhere in state law – and therefore, aren’t permitted.

He said “What that means is there are no procedures, there are no requirements, there are no limitations on drop boxes, if they are allowed. There are no restrictions on where they can go, on how many there can be, on how secure they should be.”

Thursday’s ruling, if it stands, means that no ballot drop boxes can be used in the upcoming Feb. 15 spring primary election featuring a bevy of local races.

The spring general election is April 5. The ruling comes in one of three pending lawsuits on the issue and will certainly be appealed.