FBI investigating after ballot drop boxes set on fire with incendiary devices ahead of US election in 'attack on democracy'

30 October 2024, 07:53 | Updated: 30 October 2024, 09:00

The FBI is investigation after a number of ballot drop boxes caused damage to votes in the US states of Washington and Orgegon - ahead of the election.

Incendiary devices damaged and destroyed hundreds of ballots at a drop box in Vancouver, Washington, and damaged three ballots at a box in Portland, Oregon, in what federal, state and local officials have decried as an attack on democracy.

About 475 damaged ballots were retrieved from a ballot box that was burned in Clark County, southwest Washington, a county official said on Tuesday.

Greg Kimsey said workers will begin searching through the damaged ballots for voter information in order to contact them about getting a new ballot.

'Attack on American democracy'

“I’m very saddened by this incident,” said Mr Kimsey. “This action is an attack on American democracy.”

He said officials believe that although damaged, the workers will be able to pull voter information from the ballots. The damaged ballots are separate from an unknown number that were destroyed, he said.

Authorities have said that enough material from the incendiary devices was recovered to link the two fires on Monday, as well as an October 8 incident, when an incendiary device was placed at a different ballot drop box in Vancouver. No ballots were damaged in that incident.

Surveillance images captured a Volvo pulling up to the drop box in Portland just before security personnel nearby discovered a fire inside the box, Portland Police Bureau spokesperson Mike Benner has said.

The incendiary devices were attached to the outside of the boxes.

'Fully accountable'

US attorney Tessa M Gorman and Greg Austin, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office, said in a joint statement on Tuesday that they wanted to assure residents that they are working together to investigate the fires and will work to hold the person or people responsible "fully accountable".

No arrests had been announced on Tuesday evening.

The fire at the drop box in Portland was extinguished quickly thanks to a suppression system inside the box and a nearby security guard, police said.

Several hours later, another fire was discovered at a transit centre drop box across the Columbia River in Vancouver, the biggest city in Washington's 3rd Congressional District, the site of what is expected to be one of the closest US House races in the country, between first-term Democratic Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican challenger Joe Kent.

The ballot box in Vancouver also had a fire suppression system inside, but that failed to prevent hundreds of ballots from burning, according to Mr Kimsey.

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He has urged voters who dropped their ballots in the transit centre box after 11am on Saturday to contact his office for a replacement ballot.

The office is increasing how frequently it collects ballots and changing collection times to the evening, Mr Kimsey said, to keep the ballot boxes from remaining full of ballots overnight when similar crimes are considered more likely to occur.

Officials in at least two other counties in Washington - including in King County, where Seattle is located, - announced on Tuesday that ballot drop boxes will be checked more often up until Election Day.

In a statement on the Clark County website it states: "On Monday, Oct. 28th at approximately 4 a.m., there was an incident at the drop box located at the C-Tran station at Fisher's Landing with many of the ballots inside catching fire.  

"Ballots that were deposited at that site after 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 through 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 28 were affected.  

"Please visit the Elections Office at 1408 Franklin Street and request a replacement ballot, or go online at votewa.gov and print out a replacement ballot.  

"If you choose to drop your ballot at a drop box, please drop it off by 5:30 p.m. and the ballot will be retrieved and brought to the office the same day.

'Increased patrols'

An update on the situation read: "The Clark County Sheriff’s Office will increase patrols around ballot drop box locations in the unincorporated area in Clark County as calls for service allow.

"The Vancouver Police Department also will have increased patrols around ballot boxes in the city of Vancouver as calls for service allow.

"In addition to an increased law enforcement presence, Clark County Elections Office employees will serve as ballot box observers 24 hours a day, seven days a week at each of the 22 drop boxes throughout the county.

"Employees will not confront anyone. They are there to observe and report any suspicious activities to the proper authorities."