Engelbrecht has indicated that her organization plans to implement drop box monitoring in several states, specifically mentioning Michigan and focusing primarily on Wisconsin. In an interview with Wallnau, she disclosed working alongside “three influential sheriffs” in Wisconsin, though she did not reveal their identities.
WIRED reached out to two dozen sheriffs from the largest counties in Wisconsin but did not find any who confirmed participation in the monitoring program. Engelbrecht and her organization, True the Vote, did not respond to multiple requests from WIRED for the names of the involved sheriffs.
Deputy Inspector Patrick R. Esser from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that True the Vote had reached out to propose ideas related to election integrity and potential law violations. The organization suggested donating cameras to the sheriff’s office for election site monitoring, but logistical challenges rendered the idea impractical.
Several sheriff offices contacted by WIRED did not respond to inquiries. However, some, including those in Buffalo County and Polk County, stated they were not aware of the drop box initiative. Buffalo County Sheriff Mike Osmond expressed unawareness of the plan and a lack of interest in participating, citing uncertainties regarding its legality.
In her recent newsletter, Engelbrecht hinted that her group might have struggled to recruit sufficient sheriffs for the initiative, suggesting they would provide cameras to “sheriffs where possible, other individuals where necessary.”
Questions remain regarding the jurisdiction of sheriffs over drop boxes, as elections in Wisconsin are managed at the municipal level rather than by county officials. Ann Jacobs, chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, explained that elections in the state are administered by approximately 1,850 municipal clerks.
Following a Supreme Court decision in July, the Wisconsin Electoral Commission issued guidance for clerks on implementing drop boxes, including provisions for livestreaming, which is not prohibited by state law. However, interfering with voting could result in criminal charges with penalties of up to six months in prison.
Jacobs expressed concern about the potential misuse of information gathered from monitoring, suggesting the hope that voters would not be targeted. The conspiracy film “2000 Mules” accused voters of placing multiple ballots in drop boxes. Jacobs clarified that Wisconsin permits voters to submit more than one ballot if doing so for a disabled or infirm family member, potentially causing misunderstandings with drop box monitors.
The logistics of camera placement for continuous 24-hour coverage remain unclear. Jacobs noted that attaching cameras to public buildings, such as a Milwaukee library, to focus on a drop box might not be feasible in many locations.
