Absentee ballot drop boxes in Wisconsin, a key state in presidential elections, are significantly diminished compared to their availability four years ago, with many conservative areas choosing not to provide these resources for the upcoming election.

In 2020, voters had access to over 500 drop boxes in more than 430 locations throughout the state. However, as of Wednesday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission reported only 78 drop box locations in 42 communities. Elections administrator Meagan Wolfe noted that the actual number might be higher because local election officials are not required to report on drop box usage, of which there are 1,850 across Wisconsin.

The two largest cities, Milwaukee and Madison, both Democratic strongholds, each have 14 drop boxes, while Racine has seven. Many other towns have just one drop box, typically placed near city hall. Wolfe suggested that residents questioning the absence of a drop box in their community should reach out to local election officials for clarity.

A tally by the organization All Voting is Local indicates that over 60 municipalities across nine counties have decided against utilizing drop boxes for the upcoming elections. Notably, many of these are conservative areas. In Dodge County, the Republican sheriff advised against the use of drop boxes, citing security issues; however, some communities still opted to set them up.

In Wausau, controversy arose when the conservative mayor removed the city’s sole drop box, prompting an investigation by the state Department of Justice. This drop box was later returned and is now operational.

Drop boxes have been a part of Wisconsin’s voting process for several years, but their usage surged during the 2020 pandemic. Wolfe indicated that while absentee voting numbers are reverting to pre-pandemic levels, nearly 240,000 absentee ballots had been returned by Tuesday—significantly less than the 700,000 returned by the same time in 2020.

Voters in Wisconsin can start casting absentee ballots in person on Tuesday. Former President Barack Obama and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz are scheduled to rally in Madison on Tuesday to promote early voting among Democrats.

Before the 2020 election, both major parties in Wisconsin were favorable towards drop boxes, but their use became contentious following Trump’s narrow loss to Biden by around 21,000 votes in the state. Trump and various Republican figures raised concerns, without evidence, regarding the safety of drop boxes and potential voter fraud associated with them.

In 2022, a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 in favor of a legal challenge that limited drop boxes to locations staffed by election clerks, rejecting the use at unsecured sites like libraries. However, the court’s composition shifted to a liberal majority in 2023, leading to the reversal of that ruling in July. This change has allowed local communities to determine their own policies regarding drop box usage for elections.