On Monday, October 28th, three incidents of arson on ballot boxes occurred in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon, in the United States, resulting in hundreds of ballots being destroyed. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation and has identified a suspicious vehicle that was spotted in Oregon.
Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan of the Portland Police Bureau stated at a press conference on Monday, “We are still unclear about the specific motives of the arsonists, but we believe that these events were not random, but rather carried out with a specific purpose and plan.”
The charges that the police are considering against the suspects include possession of destructive devices and involvement in illegal activities related to voting machines.
Video footage from local media KATU showed a ballot box in Vancouver continuously emitting thick smoke, with flames raging inside the box burning the ballots. When firefighters scooped out the ballots, they were still burning, gradually turning them into ashes.
The Secretary of State’s office in Washington urged voters to check the status of their ballots online. Those who voted early before 3:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time should contact election officials as soon as possible to receive a new ballot in order to prevent their voting rights from being compromised.
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs stated in a release, “I strongly condemn any acts of terrorism that undermine the legitimacy and fairness of the elections in Washington state. Despite this incident, I remain confident in the ability of county election officials to maintain election security and protect the rights of voters.”
The vandalized ballot box in Vancouver is located in the third district of Washington state, one of the most fiercely contested elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. Democratic incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is competing against Republican challenger Joe Kent.
Following the incidents, Perez called for law enforcement officials to enhance surveillance of the security of the ballot boxes at night. Perez narrowly won the 2022 election by less than 3,000 votes.