Boston

Mailbox Burned Near Site of Ballot Box Fire in Boston

Charred mail was found inside a mailbox on Boylston Street near a ballot box that was burned over the weekend

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A United States postal inspector removed a mailbox, which is now evidence, from Boylston Street in Boston Monday night. Inside, charred mail was discovered by a mail carrier during a 4 p.m. pickup.

The mailbox is in the same Copley Square area where a ballot box was set on fire early Sunday morning.

Kristin Wallace is one of the Boston residents who cast her vote in that ballot box.

"Saturday, I went to drop my ballot off in front of the library. I figured it was a pretty safe spot to drop it off," Wallace said.

More than 100 ballots were in the box at the time. Between five and 10 ballots unreadable due to the fire.

Communities around Massachusetts are stepping up security around ballot boxes after one was set on fire this weekend in Boston.

Those who lost their ballots are urged to submit another.

"I called in and a gentleman surprisingly answered at 6 p.m. on a Sunday night and told me that my ballot was wet and a little bit smokey, but it was still going to be accepted," Wallace said.

Monday, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins promised election interference would be prosecuted, but said the suspect in Sunday's fire, 39-year-old Worldy Armand, is not believed to have been targeting a candidate.

"I do not believe this individual is plotting against our democracy, I think he is emotionally disturbed," Rollins said.

Boston Police aren't saying if the two incidents are connected, but they said the mailbox was last emptied around 4 p.m. Saturday.

With Halloween this weekend, Secretary of State William Galvin says he's also concerned with more potential damage to ballot boxes.

His office is telling communities to have personal security at all drop boxes, and if a town or city can't, the box should be locked for the night.

Armand is being held without bail Monday night.

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