Ballot Drop Boxes Set on Fire in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington
Ballot boxes were set on fire early Monday morning in Portland Oregon and neighboring Vancouver, Washington.
The ballot box in Portland was firebombed with a device that blew a small hole in a side of the metal container, according to police. The interior of the Vancouver ballot box was set on fire, a “device” was found next to that drop box by police.
Incendiary Device Discovered Inside Ballot Box
On Monday, October 28, 2024, at approximately 3:30 a.m., Central Precinct officers responded to reports of a fire at a ballot box in the 1000 block of Southeast Morrison Street. By the time officers arrived, the fire had already been extinguished by security personnel who work in the area. Officers determined an incendiary device was placed inside the ballot box and used to ignite the fire. PPB’s Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU) responded to the scene and cleared the device.
The Portland Fire Investigations Unit also responded to the scene to investigate. This unit is comprised of fire investigators with Portland Fire & Rescue, who are sworn law enforcement officers, and a detective with the Portland Police Bureau. The collaboration leverages the specialized training and skills needed to investigate fires, including analysis equipment and accelerant detecting dogs.
If anyone has information about this arson case, please contact Portland Police Detective Meredith Hopper at [email protected] or call the PF&R Fire Investigation Unit’s tip line, 503-823- FIRE (3473). Please reference case number 24-276181.
Evan Bell with KATU-TV posted video of burning ballots from the Vancouver attack:
The Clark County Elections ballot drop box at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center was lit on fire this morning. Clark Co. Auditor Greg Kimsey says hundreds of ballots were inside at the time, the last pickup being 11AM Saturday. Full story here https://t.co/sYkz8ydEqH @KATUNews pic.twitter.com/a8vw0QXXoY
— Evan Bell (@evanbellKATU) October 28, 2024
KATU reported hundreds of ballots were burned and that Vancouver police issued a statement saying a device was recovered at the scene (excerpt):
Around 6:30 a.m., KATU captured footage of first responders releasing a pile of actively burning ballots onto the ground, which continued to smolder and smoke heavily even after the flames were put out.
The Clark County elections auditor told us that the last ballot pickup at that location was 8 a.m. Sunday. Hundreds of ballots were inside at the time of the burning, and KATU was told there were maybe only a few that could be saved.
…Vancouver Police released the following statement at 9 a.m.:
This morning at about 4:00 a.m., Vancouver Police responded to an arson at a ballot box located at 3510 SE 164th Ave. It was reported that the ballot box was smoking and on fire. Officers arrived and located a suspicious device next to the box. The ballot box was smoking and was on fire. Members of the Metro Explosive Disposal Unit (MEDU) arrived and safely collected the device, and the fire was extinguished. Detectives from the Vancouver Police Arson team and the Vancouver Fire Marshals also responded.
The FBI is continuing the investigation of this incident.
Video report by KGW-TV:
Washington state Republican Congressional candidate Joe Kent called on supporters to check their ballot status:
Check your ballot status (link below), ballot drop boxes were vandalized this weekend.https://t.co/INtYzQHgUN https://t.co/gNmu2bvCeO pic.twitter.com/K1KW4RHFHR
— Joe Kent for WA-3 (@joekent16jan19) October 28, 2024
The Washington Democratic Party also posted an alert:
https://t.co/mHHewJjxi5 pic.twitter.com/OrUCUYIkwl
— Washington Democrats (@washdems) October 28, 2024
A suspect was arrested last week for setting a fire in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox in Phoenix, Arizona that damaged about twenty mail-in ballots. The suspect reportedly did it to get arrested, KRNV-TV reported.
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