Sen. Spreitzer: Reacts to Wisconsin Supreme Court decision affirming legality of absentee ballot drop boxes

BELOIT – Today, State Senator Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit), released this statement following the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision in Priorities USA v. Wisconsin Elections Commission, which affirmed that clerks may allow Wisconsin voters to return their absentee ballots via secure drop boxes:

“Today’s ruling is a restoration of voting rights that Republicans took away from the people of Wisconsin. Reviews, audits, court cases, and investigations have all confirmed that Wisconsin elections are safe, secure, and transparent. In spite of that, far-right conspiracy theorists and their Republican allies temporarily stopped the use of secure drop boxes for ballots with a court decision that read non-existent restrictions into the law and undercut the ability of local clerks to do their jobs. Today’s decision corrects that anti-voter reading of state statute.

“Today, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has put things right. The Court recognized today that clerks may use drop boxes to meet their responsibility under Wisconsin law to administer elections. Once again, local clerks can offer voters an easy and secure way to return their ballot with convenient drop boxes located in their municipality. Because of today’s ruling, voters will continue to have the option of voting in-person on election day, in-person before election day, or by absentee ballot, and they will have options to return absentee ballots in the ways that fit best within their busy lives.

“I applaud this decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Wisconsin elections are safe, secure, and transparent – and drop boxes are a part of that.”