Framingham Stations Police Officers At Ballot Drop Boxes

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham is posting police officers outside its two ballot drop box locations to ensure election security. Officials said the "urgent election directive" came from Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin after a ballot box was set ablaze in Boston on Sunday.

Framingham has two ballot drop boxes, one at McAuliffe Library at 746 Water Street, and one at the Memorial Building at 150 Concord Street. Both boxes are monitored by 24 video surveillance. Starting Monday, police officers will be stationed at both boxes to "thwart any potential threat to tamper with the boxes and election ballots."

The city has around the clock police presence planned until the close of the polls and drop boxes at 8 p.m. on election night.

Framingham officials reassured residents that drop boxes are emptied several times a day by city clerk staff and Framingham police officers. At no point in time are election ballots in the custody of anyone else. Election ballots are stored in a fireproof vault at City Hall. All ballots that are received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, which includes 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.