Letter to the editor: Concern over ballot drop boxes’ security misplaced

Re: “Proposal to ban ballot drop boxes meets flood of opposition” (March 22):

I designed the ballot drop boxes used by the state of Maine. I had an extensive list of design criteria, the first of which was security. The material used is heavy-gauge welded stainless steel. The slot is wide enough for a ballot, but narrow enough to prevent entry of things that are sometimes maliciously placed in mailboxes.

The hood was designed to prevent wind-driven rain from entering in all but a 100-year storm. It can be locked when voting ends, and the door to retrieve the ballots is designed to be very difficult to pry open and to prevent water from entering without the need for a gasket, which would eventually wear out. Each box could have a security camera to monitor activity and prevent ballot stuffing.

After the boxes had been used for several elections, I stopped by the City Clerk’s Office in Portland to ask if they’d had any problems with water or anything other than ballots getting into the boxes, and was told that they’d had no problems of any kind. I also asked the Secretary of State’s Office if any other municipalities had experienced any problems, and was told they hadn’t.

Thanks to the company that manufactured them, Maine Source Machining, the state has rugged ballot boxes that will last many years and have been widely used and appreciated by thousands of residents. I have no concerns about their security, and I don’t believe anyone else should, either.

Dan Abbott
Portland