Marathon County DA pursues investigation of Wausau mayor's removal of the city's absentee ballot drop box
Marathon County District Attorney Theresa Wetzsteon said she is requesting an official investigation with the assistance of the Wisconsin Department of Justice into the personal removal of the city's lone absentee ballot drop box by Wausau Mayor Doug Diny.
Associated Press
September 26, 2024
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin district attorney said Sept. 26 that her office is pursuing an investigation into the removal of an absentee ballot drop box by the mayor of Wausau.
Mayor Doug Diny removed the drop box, located outside of City Hall, on Sept. 22 and distributed a picture of himself doing it while wearing worker’s gloves and a hard hat. Diny is a conservative opponent to drop boxes. He insists he did nothing wrong.
The drop box was locked and no ballots were in it. The city clerk notified Marathon County District Attorney Theresa Wetzsteon and she said in an email on Sept. 26 that she is requesting an official investigation with the assistance of the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Wetzsteon said she was waiting to hear back from DOJ on her request.
A spokesperson for DOJ did not immediately return a message on Sept. 26.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers weighed in on Sept. 26, calling the removal of the drop box “wrong.” Evers said it should be restored “immediately.”
“Drop box voting is safe, secure, and legal,” Evers posted on the social media platform X. “As elected officials, we should be working to make it easier — not harder — for every eligible Wisconsinite to cast their ballot. That’s democracy.”
The incident is the latest example in swing state Wisconsin of the fight over whether communities will allow absentee ballot drop boxes. The Wisconsin Supreme Court in July ruled that drop boxes are legal, but left it up to local communities to decide whether to use them.
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