Numerous Ballots Destroyed Beyond Recognition After Smoke Is Seen Billowing Out of Drop Boxes
Two recent fires in ballot drop boxes located in the Pacific Northwest, specifically in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, are being investigated by police as connected incidents. Police suspect that these acts, along with a previous one in Vancouver three weeks ago, are intentional and targeted, raising concerns about potential efforts to disrupt the electoral process.
The fires damage many ballots, with significant evidence of voting material harmed and investigations led by both local authorities and the FBI. In Vancouver, a fire started early Monday morning, with some ballots seen burning after being removed from the box. In Portland, an incendiary device ignited a ballot box but was partially contained, limiting damage to only three ballots.
Election officials have indicated that measures are in place to protect ballots, including fire suppression systems, although one of the installed devices failed during the incident in Clark County. Authorities are re-evaluating their security measures and have adjusted ballot retrieval schedules in response to these events. The situation has prompted various discussions about election security, especially following a recent similar incident in Phoenix, Arizona, where a mailbox fire damaged some ballots, though that case was deemed unrelated to elections.
Two ballot drop box fires in the Pacific Northwest are connected, police said Monday.
Police believe the incidents this week in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, are linked, as is an incident three weeks ago in Vancouver, according to KGW-TV.
“We don’t know the motive behind these acts — it sounds like a series of three at this point — but we do know that acts like this are targeted, and they’re intentional. And we’re concerned about that intentional act trying to affect the election process,” Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan said.
Police have distributed photos of a Volvo S-60 dated from between 2001 and 2004 that they believe was involved in the incidents.
🔥 A ballot box with hundreds of votes inside went up in flames in Vancouver, Washington prompting an FBI investigation
🔗 Read more: https://t.co/7xp6SKvQRe pic.twitter.com/EgVeUMfcsg
— Telegraph US (@TelegraphUS) October 28, 2024
The Vancouver fire broke out at about 4 a.m. Monday, according to KATU.
Election officials have estimated that hundreds of ballots, some of which were seen burning on the ground after being removed from the drop box as smoke billowed from it, were damaged in the fire. The FBI is investigating.
Clark County elections officials said ballots were last picked up at 11 a.m. Saturday.
In Portland, police said an incendiary device was put inside a ballot box that was discovered at about 3:30 a.m. Monday, according to KATU.
Officials said that a fire suppressant inside the box averted damage to all but three ballots.
Officials said the envelopes will be used to contact the voters, so they can resubmit ballots.
“We have multiple systems and security measures in place to ensure your ballot is safe,’’ Elections Director Tim Scott said.
Clark County drop boxes have also contained fire suppression devices for the past four years, Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said, according to KGW.
He said new ones were installed in the past few months, but the one in the box did not work properly.
“We’re going to install — try to obtain — fire suppression devices that work better,” he said.
“We are modifying our ballot retrieval schedule and encouraging voters to deposit their ballots before 5:30 in the evening,” he said.
Earlier this month, a mailbox fire in Phoenix, Arizona, was set, which led to some ballots being damaged.
Police made an arrest in that case and said the incident was not election-related.
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