Two ballot boxes were set on fire in Washington and Oregon on Monday, potentially jeopardizing hundreds of mail-in votes just one week before Election Day.
Investigations Underway After Arson Incidents
The Portland Police Bureau responded to a fire in the Buckman neighborhood around 3:30 a.m. Security personnel extinguished the flames before officers arrived and discovered an “incendiary device,” leading them to classify the incident as arson.
Similarly, the Vancouver Police Department in southern Washington reported an arson at a ballot box at 4 a.m. Officers found smoke emanating from the box and a “suspicious object” nearby. The FBI confirmed it is “coordinating with federal, state, and local partners to actively investigate the two incidents,” though it has not determined if the arsons will be treated as domestic terrorism.
Damage Reports and Community Response
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey revealed that hundreds of ballots were destroyed in the Vancouver fire, as the ballot box’s fire suppression system failed. “Voters who believe their ballots were in the box can request new ones through the county’s voting website,” Kimsey explained, adding that enhanced security measures around drop boxes are now in place.
In contrast, Multnomah County election official Tim Scott reported that only three ballots were lost in the Portland fire, and affected voters will be contacted. Authorities believe the two incidents, with sites only 15 miles apart, are connected.
Political Reactions to the Attacks
Both Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican challenger Joe Kent condemned the attacks. “Southwest Washington cannot risk a single vote being lost to arson and political violence,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “We can’t yield to intimidation.”
Kent echoed her sentiments, calling the incidents a “cowardly act of terrorism” and urging voters to remain resolute. “Early voting and turnout are more important than ever,” he emphasized.