Share, email, print, bookmark SOURCE reports.

The following is a press release

***

[broadstreet zone=”59945″]

FRAMINGHAM – On Sunday, October 25, 2020, City Clerk Lisa A. Ferguson received an urgent election directive from Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin alerting city and town election officials of the critical need to enhance the security of official election ballot drop boxes, after a report of an arson of a voting box in front of the Boston Public Library over the weekend.

As Election Day approaches, there is an increased concern over malicious attempts to interfere with ballots and ballot drop boxes. A recent attack on a drop box in Massachusetts underscores the pressing need to enhance the security of the drop boxes located in Framingham and across the Commonwealth.

Although both Framingham drop boxes are monitored by 24 video surveillance, beginning at 12 a.m. on Monday, October 26, 2020, police officers will be stationed at the McAuliffe Library, 746 Water Street, and the Memorial Building, 150 Concord Street, to thwart any potential threat to tamper with the boxes and election ballots.

[broadstreet zone=”58892″]

Around the clock police presence will continue until the close of the polls and drop boxes at 8 p.m. on November 3, 2020. An election official will empty the drop boxes at precisely 8 p.m. on November 3, 2020 and close the opening of the drop boxes.

Drop boxes are emptied multiple times a day by City Clerk staff and Framingham Police Officers. At no point in time are election ballots in the custody of any other individual. Election ballots are stored in a fireproof vault at City Hall.

All ballots that are received by 8 p.m. on Election Day (vote-by-mail, absentee, in-person early or in-person Election Day ballots) will be counted.

Unofficial results will be reported after the close of the polls on Election Day.

City Clerk Ferguson urges voters to return vote-by-mail ballots as quickly as possible in the drop boxes or at the City Clerk’s Office.

[broadstreet zone=”58610″]

By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.