Waltham Increasing Police Patrols At Ballot Drop Box

WALTHAM, MA — The City Clerk's office is working with the police department to keep an eye on the ballot drop box at city hall. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin asked communities to step up security after a ballot box was set ablaze in Boston on Sunday.

Town Clerk Bob Waddick said the city was increasing police presence and video surveillance at the city's two boxes.

"The Police will regularly monitor the ballot box and it will be monitored by video surveillance," Waddick said.

There is a drop box outside City Hall, which has video surveillance and the drop box at Malone Center is inside the building and directly across from where the police officer is stationed, he said.

This week Boston police arrested a man accused of starting a ballot box fire downtown. The fire destroyed about 35 of the more than 100 ballots inside, according to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office.

The fire also prompted Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin to tell local election officials to improve security around ballot boxes, including making sure the ballot boxes are empty and locked on Halloween.

In Framingham, police officers have been stationed at the city's drop boxes.

Galvin and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called the Boston ballot fire a "disgrace to democracy" in a joint statement.

"Our first and foremost priority is maintaining the integrity of our elections process and ensuring transparency and trust with our voters, and any effort to undermine or tamper with that process must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the said in the statement. "We ask voters not to be intimidated by this bad act, and remain committed to making their voices heard in this and every election."

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how .