Authorities in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, are investigating two incidents where ballot drop boxes were set on fire Monday, destroying hundreds of ballots as voters cast early votes ahead of next Tuesday’s presidential election.
According to the Associated Press, both incidents involved incendiary devices, and police suspect they may be connected, as similar vehicles were seen at each scene. Investigators are linking these fires to a previous attack on a ballot box in Vancouver on October 8, which also involved an incendiary device.
These attacks come amid heightened election tensions, with early voting reaching nearly 42 million ballots cast nationwide. Oregon and Washington, both vote-by-mail states, depend heavily on ballot drop boxes to support voter participation.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs condemned the attacks as “acts of terror” meant to disrupt the democratic process. “I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections in Washington state,” he said.
Voters were advised to verify their ballot status online to ensure they have been received. For those marked as “not received,” replacement ballots can be printed or obtained at local elections offices to make sure every vote counts.
In both states, ballots are mailed to registered voters weeks before election day, allowing them to return ballots via mail or drop boxes.
