Absentee Ballot Drop Box is Back Outside of Wausau’s City Hall

WAUSAU, Wis. (WXCO) – Months after elected Wausau’s Mayor, Doug Diny removed the ballot box behind the city clerks back, sparking an investigation.

The Wausau city clerk said Monday the official drop box is back outside of city hall and secured to the ground. People can submit absentee ballots, payments, and other important city requests as intended.

Nancy Stencil a local activist says, “The box is back but there has been no apology.” Stencil was on the Chad Holmes Show Tuesday morning.

Wausau Mayor Doug Diny removed the drop box from outside City Hall on Sunday, September 22nd. The drop box was locked and no ballots were in it. A photo surfaced just days later, of himself using a dolly to wheel it away and wearing a hard hat

Wausau City Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde said in a news release later that week, that she reported the removal of the absentee drop box as an election irregularity to the Marathon County district attorney and the Wisconsin Elections Commission. 

The Mayor gave suggestions for the drop being more secure, saying he wanted better lighting, and a live camera on the box for him to feel safe with the box. Diny says he wants to give the community and city council a chance to bring it to a vote.

Then it was announced on Monday that the removal of the absentee ballot drop box is being investigated by the Portage County Sheriff’s Office. The Wisconsin Department of Justice will continue to be informed of the status and findings of the investigation. No further comment will be made by the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office or Portage County Sheriff’s Office until the investigation has been completed and the District Attorney’s Office has conducted a thorough review.