Hundreds of US ballots destroyed after drop boxes targeted by fire | US Election News 2024

Hundreds of US election ballots have been destroyed after two drop boxes, one in Oregon and one in Washington state, were destroyed in incidents authorities believe are linked.

One of the boxes was targeted in Portland, Oregon, in the early hours of Monday, and a few hours later another in Vancouver, Washington.

Incendiary devices were attached to the outside of the boxes and the FBI was called in to assist in the case.

It's heartbreaking, said Greg Kimsey, the elected auditor of Clark County, Washington, which includes Vancouver.

This is a direct attack on democracy, Kimsey told reporters.

Both boxes were equipped with a fire extinguishing system. But the one in Vancouver appears to have malfunctioned and was unable to prevent hundreds of ballots from being destroyed, according to Kimsey.

At a news conference in Portland, officials said enough material from the incendiary devices had been recovered to show Monday's two fires were related.

They believe they are also linked to an incident on Oct. 8, when an incendiary device was placed in another ballot box in Vancouver. No ballots were damaged in this incident.

Portland officials believe only three ballots were destroyed in the attack.

The fight between Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, on the left, and Republican Joe Kent, on the right, has often been heated. [Jenny Kane/AP Photo]
The race for Washington's 3rd Congressional District is often heated

Occurring less than 10 days before Election Day, the incidents sparked widespread concern, as well as hope that they would not happen again.

The city of Vancouver is the largest community in Washington's Third Congressional District, where Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is trying to hold off Republican Joe Kent.

Kent, a former member of the US military special forces, benefits from the support of Donald Trump.

The battle for the seat, which Perez won by fewer than 3,000 votes when she defeated Kent in 2022, has often been heated.

Perez, who runs an auto repair business, says she is one of the few working-class members in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Perez, 36, and Kent, 44, denounced the attacks and vowed they would not be stopped.

The Democrat said she has requested that there be a police presence at all Clark County polls through Election Day.

There is absolutely no place in our democracy for political violence or interference against our citizens, election workers or election infrastructure, she said in a statement.

I hope that the perpetrator of this wrongdoing will be quickly apprehended and that local and federal law enforcement will have my full support in working to keep our democratic process safe and secure.

She added: Our right to vote must be protected in all circumstances. We cannot give in to intimidation.

Kent urged his supporters not to be intimidated and said that should not deter anyone from voting.

I condemn these attacks on our democratic process. I know everyone here in southwest Washington does it too, he said in a video posted to X.

I have full confidence in our law enforcement: they will get to the bottom of this matter. Stay focused.

It was later reported that surveillance cameras captured a Volvo approaching the drop box in Portland shortly before nearby security personnel discovered a fire inside the box.

Will not tolerate acts of violence

The polls are facing growing criticism from Republicans and the subject of baseless conspiracy theories, linked to former President Donald Trump's false claim that the 2020 election was rigged.

The boxes, designed to be tamper-proof, are often set up outside places such as election offices, libraries and other government buildings for people to drop off their ballots.

Six Republican-majority states, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and South Dakota, have banned their use after 2020.

On Monday, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs' office said that if a returned ballot is not marked as received, voters can print a replacement ballot or go to the local elections department to obtain a replacement.

We take the safety of our election workers seriously and will not tolerate threats or acts of violence aimed at undermining the democratic process, Hobbs said.

Despite this incident, I have every confidence in the ability of our county election officials to keep Washington's elections secure for all voters.

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