Wausau Mayor Doug Diny will not face charges for removing an absentee ballot drop box ahead of the 2024 elections, a special prosecutor announced Wednesday. The move, which occurred in September 2024, sparked debate over the use of drop boxes in Wisconsin, a key swing state.
Diny, who posed for photos while removing the drop box, claimed the box was not secured and could have been stolen. He returned it a week later after the city's elections clerk raised concerns about election integrity. The city’s ethics board later determined Diny violated Wausau's ethics policy, but a state Justice Department investigation found no basis for criminal charges.
The special prosecutor, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney, noted that Wisconsin law prohibits tampering with ballot boxes but that the drop box Diny moved remained sealed and contained no ballots. Toney also argued the drop box did not meet the legal definition of a ballot box, as it was intended for multiple city materials, including payments.
Diny, who campaigned on opposition to absentee drop boxes and had Republican backing, maintained he acted to secure the box. The incident highlighted ongoing tensions over election procedures in Wisconsin, where drop boxes have been a contentious issue.