Despite residents wanting options, Brookfield common council rejects drop boxes

A drop-box ballot option will not be available for the November general election.

The city of Brookfield became the second community in Waukesha County after the New Berlin city council voted to get rid of ballot drop boxes in late July.

Previous Coverage: New Berlin voters weigh in on ballot drop box removal (tmj4.com)

In the past, Brookfield had used the utility payment drop box to collect ballots. The option became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paul Sancya/AP

During Tuesday night’s meeting, common council members butted heads over the topic.

In July, the state supreme court overturned its previous decision on absentee drop box voting, allowing the use of them again. The court concluded that municipal clerks are not forced to use them, but may choose to utilize them.

Mike Beiermeister

Some argued that there are already a number of options to vote early, claiming that drop boxes were unproven and an insecure method to vote.

Others against using drop boxes said that people can vote through mail and said a drop box sits at the end of their driveway.

WATCH: 2024-08-20 City of Brookfield Common Council Meeting (youtube.com)

“People are happy to come and vote. If there are people that can’t vote, we go to the nursing home and take care of them,” said Chuck Bloom, Alderman. “The drop boxes aren’t going to solve anything.”

In a memo from the city attorney, Jenna Merten, she, along with the city clerk, stated reasons as to why they believed drop boxes were not useful.

Those reasons included COVID-19 no longer being a threat, saving city staff from keeping drop chain-of-custody logs, maintaining security surveillance, and having employees use additional security measures for the drop box.

Watch: Brookfield rejects ballot drop box for November election

Brookfield ballot drop box decision

All who spoke at the meeting in public comment on Tuesday night talked in favor of having the drop box option.

“What I’m asking you to do is realize that people with disabilities and older adults don’t have the ability to have the control to get to the city hall to drop off their absentee ballot during office hours all the time,” said Julie Burish.

Kaylee Staral

TMJ4 News also spoke to Katie Rasoul, who could not attend the meeting but wrote in a comment to keep the drop box.

“Why would we not have access for people who are disabled, people who aren’t able to vote the day of, to be able to cast their ballot safely and securely in the way that I know personally—I've handled them—that it is a safe and secure process?” said Rasoul, who had served as an election worker in the past.

While Sue Tofte hadn't used a drop box, she still believed it was a good idea.

"I think it’s great because there’s a lot of people in Brookfield that are, I think, elderly," said Tofte. "We’re not a super young community."

Kaylee Staral

Alderman Mike Hallquist argued the public was not given enough advanced notice for the resolution. He also said having a drop box for disabled and elderly voters was a moral need.

The council voted 10-4 in support of the resolution to not have drop boxes at the November general election.

The Common Council also approved an amendment that will allow in-person receiving of the ballots on Saturday, October 26.

The city will also make compromises for in-person absentee voting, extending voting hours two weeks prior to the election from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Voters can drop off their ballots to a clerk at that time.

Disabled voters can drive up and drop off their ballots during in-person absentee voting. Voters who cannot exit their vehicle can drop off their ballots to a clerk at that time. A doorbell is available next to the parking space.

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