Framingham Deploying 'Around The Clock Police Presence' For Ballot Drop Boxes

FRAMINGHAM (CBS) – City officials announced on Monday that there will be "around the clock police presence" at ballot drop boxes in Framingham in an effort to enhance election security. The decision comes a day after a ballot box in Boston was set on fire.

The Framingham clerk's office said cities and towns around Massachusetts received an "urgent election directive" from Secretary of State William Galvin highlighting the "critical need" to enhance security around drop boxes.

Some of the ballots in the drop box outside of the Boston Public Library in Copley Square were destroyed and others were damaged when it was set on fire around 4 a.m. Sunday.

Framingham drop boxes are currently monitored by 24-hour video surveillance.

"We just want to make sure that everybody's right to vote is not interfered with," said Mayor Yvonne Spicer.

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Starting Monday, police officers will also be stationed at the McAuliffe Library on Water Street and the Memorial Building on Concord Street "to thwart any potential threat to tamper with the boxes and election ballots."

The around the clock police presence will be in place through the close of polls and drop boxes at 8 p.m. on Election Day.