Federal authorities are investigating fires at two ballot drop boxes in Oregon’s Portland area and another incident in nearby Vancouver, Washington, according to CNN.
The Portland Police Bureau reported that officers responded around 3:30 a.m. local time on Monday to a ballot box fire in Oregon, where an “incendiary device” had been placed. Security personnel managed to extinguish the flames promptly. Steve Bernd, an FBI spokesperson from the Seattle office, confirmed that federal officials are working with state and local law enforcement to investigate these incidents.
Tim Scott, Multnomah County Elections Director, noted that fire suppression systems within the Portland ballot box preserved nearly all ballots, although three were damaged. Officials will reach out to affected voters using unique identifiers on their ballot envelopes to provide replacements, CNN reported. Scott advised voters who used the drop box between 3:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Monday to contact the Multnomah County Elections Division if concerned.
“Voters should be assured that even if their ballots were in the affected box, their votes will be counted,” Scott stated.
In Vancouver, the second ballot box fire occurred at a bus station early Monday, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Authorities found a “suspicious device” next to the burning box. The Clark County Elections Office reported that hundreds of ballots were affected, CNN reported. Vancouver spokesperson Laura Shepard advised anyone who submitted a ballot at that location after 11 a.m. on Saturday to check their ballot status.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs condemned the attacks, emphasizing the need to protect election workers and denouncing any attempts to disrupt the electoral process. “We take the safety of our election workers seriously and will not tolerate threats or acts of violence that seek to undermine the democratic process,” Hobbs said. “I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections in Washington State… Despite this incident, I have complete confidence in our county election officials’ ability to keep Washington’s elections safe and secure for all voters.”
The two ballot boxes are roughly 15 miles apart, with the Vancouver location situated in a highly contested congressional district represented by Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who faces a rematch against Republican Joe Kent, endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
CNN reported similar incidents, such as a recent case in Phoenix where a mailbox outside a post office was set on fire, damaging an unknown number of ballots. Phoenix Police reported that a 35-year-old man has been charged with arson in that case and claimed it was not politically motivated.
These incidents follow a bulletin from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warning that “election-related grievances,” including beliefs in voter fraud, could incite domestic extremists to commit acts of violence leading up to and following the November elections.
Also Read: New Israeli Law Blocks UN Aid Agency, Deepens Gaza Aid Crisis
