Beverly Early Voting Brisk, Busy, Secure: City Clerk

BEVERLY, MA – As Beverly residents make strong use of mail-in, drop box and early-voting options, City Clerk Lisa Kent is looking to assure them that whichever method they choose to cast a ballot for the Nov. 3 general election it will be secure.

Kent said more than half of the 30,259 registered voters in the city have already either voted or requested a mail-in ballot. She said 11,100 of the 15,652 mail-in ballots requested have been returned, while 3,197 ballots have been cast through Monday in early voting.

"We are pretty impressed with Beverly (voters)," Kent told Patch Tuesday morning.

She said cameras set on ballot boxes were put in place following a weekend incident in Boston where a ballot box was set on fire, and Secretary of State Bill Gavin's directive to make sure ballot boxes are emptied before Halloween night to reduce the risk of vandalism and lost ballots.

"We met and talked about it," Kent said. "I think in Beverly we'd be OK. You just have to be careful."

Extra police patrols are scheduled for the ballot box areas and Kent said they will be "locked down" with a metal bar on Saturday at 3 p.m. to Sunday morning. The ballot boxes are one of several ways to deliver mail-in ballots, which can also be brought directly to City Hall when it is opens leading up to Nov. 3.

However, residents are reminded that mail-in ballots cannot be accepted at polling locations on Election Day.

Kent assured that ballots left in boxes are picked up in teams of two — including one police officer — and brought directly to a secure vault after being scanned in and recorded so those dropping them off can verify online that they have been received.

"We have bins, and bins, and bins in our vault that have already been recorded and checked," Kent said. "We have teams of people doing that."

The ballots will then be run through the voting counting machine on Nov. 3.

"People are really worried about their ballots," Kent said. "We do everything by twos. We are never alone with them. It's always secure."

City Hall has been closed to the other city business during voting to allow for as many voters as possible in the building and still follow coronavirus-related guidelines.

"Our primary went pretty smoothly but that experience coming into this has made it go a lot easier," Kent said. "We know the structure. It's just a little cold (in City Hall) because we are keeping the windows open for ventilation."

She said voters who cast a ballot in person on Nov. 3 can expect similar, and they should dress for it if is a colder day.

"We are worried about the corona with the numbers going up and we are taking extra steps and precautions," Kent said. "We will have everything there for the voter with masks, and sanitizer. The doors will be open. We are going to ask (voters and poll workers) to dress warm because it will probably be chilly in there."

Kent said Assistant City Clerk Christine Dixon will help lead a series of live and remote trainings for poll workers this week to make sure everyone is ready for next Tuesday.

"Christine and I, and our staff, we really do have a routine," Kent said. "Election night, we all have our jobs. It's like an assembly line. So we figure why not do that rather than try something new in one of the busiest elections we'll ever have?"

More Patch Election Coverage: Election 2020: Beverly Voter Guide

Beverly General Election Early Voting Begins Oct. 17

Communities Should Empty, Lock Ballot Boxes On Halloween: Galvin

Arrest Made In Boston Ballot Box Fire That Destroyed 35 Ballots

Beverly City Hall Closed To Regular Business During Early Voting

Beverly Ballots Were: 'Like Snow; They Just Coming And Coming'