Officials in Washington and Oregon have launched investigations into a series of fires that were set in two ballot dropboxes on Monday morning, destroying hundreds of ballots eight days out from Election Day.
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The Portland Police Bureau revealed in a statement that officers were called to the scene of the fire around 3:30 a.m. on Monday. Upon their arrival, officers discovered an “incendiary device” inside the ballot dropbox. It is believed to be what was used to start the fire.
In Vancouver, Washington, police said in a statement that around 4 a.m., officers were dispatched to “an arson at a ballot box,” and when they arrived, they found the dropbox “smoking and ... on fire.”
The FBI’s Portland Office confirmed on Monday that it would be investigating both incidents “to determine who is responsible” for what is currently believed to be arson.
Local police have said the fires appear to be “very similar” to a third incident from earlier this month.
In Multnomah County, Oregon, the county’s election division shared that only three ballots were damaged, while the rest were protected by fire suppressants in the box. Those with damaged ballots are going to be contacted, the release shared.
However, in Clark County, Washington, Auditor Greg Kimsey shared that the fire suppression technology in the dropbox “doesn’t appear” to have “worked very well.”
The Washington State Democratic Party Chair, Shasti Conrad, said in a post on social media that all voters who dropped their ballots off after 11 a.m. Saturday, should check their ballot’s status.
A Joint Intelligence Bulletin, reported on by NBC News, from the FBI and Homeland Security, warned that domestic actors could be looking to disrupt the vote, potentially posing a threat to the election and inauguration.
Among the specific areas named in the bulletin, ballot dropboxes were warned as possibly seeing attacks or violence, NBC News reported.
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