Washington, D.C., police are actively investigating after several reports of nails and screws intentionally scattered on streets near polling places and ballot drop-off boxes were received on Election Day. According to NBC Washington, the Metropolitan Police Department has heightened its patrol and monitoring of these areas to ensure voter access is unimpeded.

The alert first circulated when private security at Union Market reported to the police that someone had dropped metal hardware in the roadway. This comes at a pivotal moment for the nation as D.C. voters were out, trying to directly contribute to deciding the outcomes early this month. According to DC News Now, the incident that triggered the alert occurred around 2 p.m. on the 1300 block of 5th Street NE, closely aligning the timing with that of many citizens' efforts to reach ballot drop boxes before closing.

Photos captured by concerned individuals show the screws littering the street, and the police have since then assured the public that they are maintaining an ongoing vigilance over the drop boxes and polling locations. "MPD will continue paying close attention to polling places and ballot drop off locations through the evening," the police said, as per NBC Washington.

Authorities urge anyone with information related to the incident to come forward and assist in the pursuit of keeping integral democratic processes safe. Police have requested that such information be communicated through a call at 202-727-9099, as cited by WJLA.