As Election Day approaches, some states and cities are pushing to eliminate ballot drop boxes that became widely used during the 2020 election. Concerns over voter fraud have driven these efforts, particularly in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
In Ohio, Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) took action to limit the use of drop boxes. He issued a directive allowing only voters to drop off their own ballots, barring anyone from delivering others’ votes. This move followed a federal court decision that partially overturned restrictions on who can submit absentee ballots. LaRose’s directive requires anyone assisting a disabled voter to sign an attestation form affirming they comply with state and federal law. His office also investigated voter fraud and discovered hundreds of non-citizens had registered to vote, with over 100 referred for prosecution.
Wisconsin has seen similar efforts in Waukesha County, where two cities voted to ban drop boxes. In July, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that drop boxes could be used again for 2024, but Brookfield and New Berlin city councils decided to prohibit them, citing the end of the pandemic and logistical difficulties in maintaining the boxes.
Pennsylvania’s Westmoreland County followed suit by voting to ban drop boxes in March. Several other counties, including Beaver, Butler, and Fayette, also ended their use, pointing to declining demand since 2020.
These states’ efforts to curtail the use of ballot drop boxes reflect ongoing concerns about election integrity, particularly in light of the 2020 election, where critics argued drop boxes contributed to widespread fraud.
