Ballot Dropboxes: Something New for the Land of Steady Habits

They’re made from heavy gauge, brushed Stainless Steel, and over 65% of the material is recyclable.  Manufactured by a company based in Minnesota, they’re described as “the most durable and appealing ballot drop on the market,” and come with a lifetime warranty. Average capacity:  1,642 ballots, depending upon the length and width of the ballot return envelope used by the jurisdiction.

In Connecticut, the new Ballot Dropboxes are quickly being installed in every one of our 169 municipalities, usually in front of or nearby town or city hall, as well as other visible, accessible locations.  Larger communities have more than one dropbox in town.  All are being supplied by the Office of Secretary of the State, paid for with federal funds made available due to COVID-19, as states around the nation gear up for a significant increase in the use of mail-in ballots.

For Connecticut’s August 11 primary, an Executive Order by Gov. Lamont has opened up the use of absentee ballots, and the state legislature is in the midst of considering extending the so-called “no excuse” absentee ballots for the November election.  A statewide conference call Thursday by AARP indicated that a high percentage of Connecticut residents intend to vote by mail rather than go to their local polling place.

For those who have filled out and returned to their local community an absentee ballot request, the ballots for the August 11 primary were being mailed out this week.  Both parties are having presidential primaries (delayed from April due to COVID) and some communities are having local primaries for offices including State Representative and State Senator.

According to the Secretary of the State’s office and published reports, the ballot drop boxes, produced by American Safety Standards, have been used for mail-in ballots in states including Utah, Montana, Oregon and California as well as other jurisdictions across the country.  The company’s website depicts customized designs being used in Connecticut and other states.

 The company has “over 40 years of experience serving communities by offering high quality, safe, and secure collection methods.”  In addition to ballot drop boxes, the company manufactures payment drop boxes, document drop boxes and drop boxes to retire worn American flags.

While new to Connecticut, ballot drop boxes have been part of the election landscape across the country for some time, as other states have less restrictive absentee ballot laws that have resulted in a significantly larger volume of absentee ballots, for years prior to the COVID pandemic.

Most recently, the ballot drop boxes were used in Mesa County, Colorado for their June 30 primary elections, as well as across Utah, where, according to media reports, “most Utahns vote by mail.”  Ballot drop boxes are also being used on August 4 in Spokane County, King County and across Washington state and in Bay City and communities in Michigan.

In Colorado, the success of mail-in voting during the pandemic was heralded by that state’s Secretary of the State, who noted a record-breaking voter turnout. Colorado has had a mail ballot since 2013.

“In midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado just set a record turnout for a state primary. A total of 99% of voters cast a mail ballot, and there were not lengthy lines or wait times reported at in-person voting centers,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. “Despite misleading attacks, disinformation, and attempts to make vote-by-mail a partisan issue, Colorado’s election proves that mail ballots are the key to accessible voting during this health crisis.”

In Georgia, the State Election Board extended emergency rules last month to allow for ballot drop boxes to be used for the state’s August runoff and November general election.