Madison’s absentee ballot drop boxes are back in business.
The city of Madison announced today that its 14 absentee ballot drop boxes are ready to receive ballots again, one week before the Aug. 13 partisan primary.
“We want to make sure that every eligible voter who wants to vote in the August primary and the November general election is able to do so,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway said at an Aug. 6 press conference.
City officials say the boxes will help voters avoid postal delays with mail-in ballots. Employees from the clerk’s office will collect the ballots daily, Madison Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl said in an Aug. 6 statement, and voters can use the boxes up until Aug. 12, the Monday before the election.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned its 2022 decision to prohibit the use of drop boxes for absentee voting on July 5. The decision to reinstate the drop boxes was lauded by state Democrats and disability rights advocates and met with dismay or begrudging acceptance by most Republicans.
Madison officials have worked since July 5 to get the boxes ready for use in the upcoming primary. To do so, they needed to replace the art wraps that previously covered the boxes, ensure that they were secure and establish ballot pick-up schedules.
The boxes now have a sky-blue wrap that shows Madison’s flag and includes contact details for the city clerk’s office.
Voters can find the drop boxes at any city fire station (besides station seven) or at the Elver Park shelter:
Fire Station 1: 316 W Dayton St.
Fire Station 2: 421 Grand Canyon Drive
Fire Station 3: 1217 Williamson St.
Fire Station 4: 1437 Monroe St.
Fire Station 5: 4418 Cottage Grove Road
Fire Station 6: 825 W. Badger Road
Fire Station 8: 3945 Lien Road
Fire Station 9: 201 N. Midvale Blvd.
Fire Station 10: 1517 Troy Drive
Fire Station 11: 4011 Morgan Way
Fire Station 12: 400 South Point Road
Fire Station 13: 6350 Town Center Drive
Fire Station 14: 3201 Dairy Drive
Elver Park Shelter: 1250 McKenna Blvd.
