Some Boston polling places ran out of ballots because of high voter turnout
BOSTON - Some polling places in Boston ran out of ballots on Election Day before closing time Tuesday. The ballot shortages were reported in locations in Ward 18, which includes parts of Hyde Park and West Roxbury, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office, which oversees elections.
Ballots replenished by police escort
The ballots were replenished by a police escort with lights and sirens, according to a spokesperson for Secretary of State Bill Galvin.
She told WBZ-TV the shortages were due to high voter turnout. It is unclear exactly how many polling locations ran out of ballots.
"Unfortunately, it appears that the Boston Elections Department chose not to send all ballots in their possession to polling places today," a spokesperson for the Secretary of State said. "After receiving reports that certain precincts in the Hyde Park, Roslindale, and West Roxbury areas were running low on ballots or had run out of ballots, Secretary Galvin instructed the Boston Elections Department to send ballots to polling locations using police cars to deliver them as quickly as possible."
The Secretary of State's office also instructed the city to provide ballots to other locations to make sure they would not run out.
A city spokesperson apologized for "any inconvenience or confusion" due to the ballot shortages in Boston.
"With strong turnout across Boston this Election Day, several polling locations across the city have experienced ballot shortages during the evening voting rush," the city spokesperson said. "The Elections Department has been working urgently to remedy this through coordinating delivery of additional ballots to precincts with the help of Boston Police and contacting all polling locations to anticipate and prevent further ballot shortages."
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn posted on social media that the poll at Cathedral High School in the South End ran out of English only ballots.
"Just Chinese ballots, although English is also included on the Chinese ballot," Flynn wrote. "However, with limited vision due to the poor lighting at the polling site, it's challenging & confusing to actually read the ballot."
Voters waiting to have their say
There have been no reports of anyone leaving the polls due to the ballot issues. If voters needed to leave, poll workers took down phone numbers so they could call voters when the ballots arrived.
One voter, who had her two children with her, said she waited to cast her vote for about an hour-and-a-half. "It was important, as I said, it's a crucial election. I think it's important to participate in civic duties like this and to have your voice heard," she told WBZ.
Anyone in line by 8 p.m. was still be able to vote. There were no plans to extend voting hours anywhere in Massachusetts.
1.7 million people voted early in Massachusetts
When polls opened on Tuesday, the secretary of state's office said 1,740,448 people had already voted in Massachusetts. That is 33.8% of registered voters in the state.
According to the state, 1,143,419 ballots had been cast by mail. Another 597,029 people went to a polling place to vote early.
Early voting in Massachusetts started on Saturday, October 19 and ended on Friday, November 1.