The ballot drop-off box outside the Marathon Twp. Office in Columbiaville was damaged beyond use sometime Friday (Oct. 2). Photo by Nicholas Pugliese
COLUMBIAVILLE — A free-standing exterior ballot drop-off box outside the Marathon Township office in Columbiaville was damaged beyond use Friday, and township officials and the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office are looking for answers.
The ballot box, acquired via a grant to Marathon Township courtesy the Michigan Bureau of Elections, was installed early last week and was in use for only a few days before it was discovered damaged Friday afternoon. The ballot box was installed just outside the township office’s door and was secured by cement and bolted into the ground.
Marathon Township Clerk Dawn Johnson said she arrived at the township office Friday at approximately 2:30 p.m. and saw the damage, and the severity of it makes her believe it was intentional. “It’s ruined beyond repair. It looks like someone tried to steal it, or get in it to steal the ballots,” she said. “That’s criminal, and we’re so disheartened over it. We’re really shaken to the core over this.”
Marathon Twp. Supervisor Fred Moorhouse and Clerk Dawn Johnson on Monday assess the damage on the ballot drop-off box. Photos by Nicholas Pugliese
Johnson said there were eight ballots inside the box when she discovered the damage, and the state of the box necessitated Johnson and township supervisor Fred Moorhouse to utilize a crowbar just to free them. Johnson said she called the voters who had dropped off ballots to assure them their ballots were retrieved. “We wanted something for the community to make it easier to drop off ballots,” said Johnson. “It’s a sad state of affairs.”
Johnson said it’ll be up to the Bureau of Elections whether the box will be repaired or replaced, but in the meantime, voters can utilize the in-wall drop box attached to the Marathon Township office itself.
An investigation is currently underway, conducted by Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Harry Lutze. According to Undersheriff Jeremy Howe, it’s something they’re not taking lightly. “Obviously tampering with the voting ballot boxes is something that we take very seriously, if anyone has information regarding this crime, please contact Sgt. Lutze at the Sheriff’s Office,” he said.
The ballot drop-off box was in use for less than a week before sustaining damage, officials say.
According to Johnson, one voter told her they utilized the drop box at approximately 1 p.m. on Friday and the box was undamaged at that time. “If that’s the case, whoever did it had to do it in broad daylight,” Johnson said.