BOSTON (WHDH) - Crews were called to remove a mailbox near Copley Square in Boston Monday night where several pieces of mail were burned in a fire not too far from where a ballot box was ignited over the weekend.
A Boston man is now facing charges in that case and more than 30 people who have already cast their ballots are left concerned their voice will not be heard.
Sarah Carlson said she is proud to be voting in an election held in a year where so much feels out of control. Since she is working on November 3, she brought her ballot to a box placed outside the Boston Public Library.
“That was Saturday afternoon at 2:40 pm, and I know it now because I looked at the time stamp when the news came out later,” she explained.
Worldy Armand, 39, was taken into custody Sunday night in connection to the ballot box fire and was arraigned Monday in Boston Municipal Court on a charge of willful and malicious burning, according to police.
Secretary of State Bill Galvin said they are still able to read 87 of the 122 ballots that were inside at the time but, 35 of them are illegible.
Voters can go online to see whether their ballot was processed. Those who used that drop box between Saturday afternoon and 4 a.m. Sunday and can’t confirm the status of their ballot online should contact the Boston Elections Department immediately, officials said.
“If you cast a ballot in that box particularly and think that it could have been either destroyed or in any way impaired, reach out to the secretary of state’s office,” Suffolk Country District Attorney Rachael Rollins warned.
Later Monday evening, Boston police and the US Postal Service removed a mailbox full of charred mail. That mailbox sat just a block away from the burned ballot box.
At this time, there is no word on whether the two incidents are connected or if there were any more ballots inside.
As for Carlson, she said the city reached out to her to let her know her ballot is accounted for.
She said she does not believe this is a sign of a bigger problem but rather a reminder for people to get out and vote.
“I think David Ortiz said it best, and I’ll paraphrase, this is our city. Bostonians are tough, and we won’t be deterred by a burned ballot box,” she said.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)