Hundreds of votes were destroyed after two ballot boxes caught fire in Oregon and Washington. This raised concerns about election tampering and the integrity of the democratic process.
In Portland, Oregon, a fire broke out in a ballot drop box at around 3:30 a.m. due to an incendiary device placed by an unknown suspect.
Fortunately, a fire suppressant system protected most of the ballots, with only three damaged. Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott assured that voters affected will be contacted to replace their ballots.
However, a similar incident in Vancouver, Washington, had more severe consequences. A ballot box at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center caught fire, destroying hundreds of votes.
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey described the incident as “heartbreaking” and a “direct attack on democracy”.
The fire suppression system in this box failed to activate.
The affected ballot box in Vancouver was last collected at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and officials urge voters who submitted ballots after the fire to contact the auditor’s office for replacement ballots.
Kimsey’s office will increase ballot box collection frequency and adjust collection times to evenings to prevent similar incidents.
This isn’t an isolated incident, as another incendiary device was found near a ballot drop box in downtown Vancouver on October 8, though it didn’t cause damage. The FBI is investigating, but no updates have been provided. Additionally, a fire in Phoenix last week destroyed five ballots and damaged others at a U.S. Postal Service station, also believed to be intentionally set.
It is important to note that vote-by-mail systems in Washington and Oregon, allow registered voters to receive ballots by mail and return them via mail or drop boxes.
