Westborough To Install Security Cameras Over Ballot Drop Box

WESTBOROUGH, MA — Westborough is heeding the advice of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and upping its ballot drop box security.

The town plans on installing security cameras on Wednesday or Thursday to monitor the drop box, located in front of Town Hall. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin's office urged towns on Monday to ensure added security for ballot boxes following the suspected arson of a Boston ballot box early Sunday.

Among the suggestions was to empty and lock ballot boxes overnight on Halloween as officials worry about possible Halloween pranks targeting boxes.

So far, Westborough has received about 6,400 ballots, according to Town Clerk Wendy Mickel. Westborough isn't seeing the crazy early voting lines and waits that other cities in the Commonwealth and country have seen either.

Mickel said there's been a continual flow of voters each day since early voting began.

"Some heavier than others but not more than a five-minute wait," Mickel said.

Those voting early and in-person have noted positive experiences with the new COVID-19 precautions and the ease of voting. What has been different this year is the number of mail-in votes coming in.

"After the weekend we had approximately 4,000 early ballots mailed in and 2,200 early-voted-in-person," Mickel said.

For those contemplating early voting but have a mail-in ballot at home, Mickel suggests filling out the ballot at home and bringing it to Town Hall to avoid a wait and for convenience.