Update: locked vault in Barnstable finally cracked open

A vault in Barnstable containing election ballots was finally opened around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday evening.

A locksmith was called to help town officials get inside, and was working nonstop since around 11 a.m., WCAI reported. The locksmith reportedly had to leave at 8 p.m., and the vault was finally cracked beforehand.

Town Clerk Ann Quirk opened the vault a short while later, as no one was allowed to until she arrived.

After the vault holding the blank ballots for Barnstable would not open Tuesday morning, the town clerk printed emergency paper ballots for the primary elections and Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin sought a court order to extend polling hours to midnight.

“At 4:15 AM this morning, the Clerk’s office of the Town of Barnstable tried to open the vault that houses the election ballots and were unable to,” a post on the Town of Barnstable Facebook page said.

As of 8:45 a.m., the town clerk had printed the emergency paper ballots for voters to use as work crews tried to get the vault open. A little after 11 a.m., all polling locations had received or would soon be receiving paper ballots, the town said.

Galvin’s court order was successful, and Barnstable polls will remain open until midnight to allow voters ample time to vote.

Want to leave a comment?

Create an Account Or sign in to your account

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile

To comment, please verify your email address

Conversation

This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com