Two ballot boxes were set on fire early Monday morning in Portland and Vancouver, one of them destroying hundreds of ballots that had been cast over the weekend.
Around 3:30 a.m., Portland officers responded to a fire at a ballot drop box outside the Multnomah County Elections Office, in the 1000 block of Southeast Morrison Street.
Portland police say the fire was started by an incendiary device, which was quickly extinguished by security guards.
Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said only three ballots were damaged in the fire, due to a fire extinguisher inside the box, and the elections division will contact those three voters. A new ballot box was placed at the same location on Monday morning.
The nearby Election Division building was not affected, and the site is open for normal operations. Still, Scott said anyone who dropped their ballot into the box on Southeast Belmont Street between 3:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. Monday should call 503-988-6826 if they have any concerns. Should call.
No other ballot boxes or official drop sites in Multnomah County were affected. At a press conference Monday afternoon, police said they have a vehicle of interest in connection with the fire. He said it was a Volvo, but no further details were released.
Police also said the incendiary device was attached to the ballot box.
Oregon Secretary of State Lavon Griffinvald released a statement Monday morning condemning the practice.
“Make no mistake, an attack on the ballot box is an attack on our democracy and is completely unacceptable,” he said. “Whatever the motives behind this incident, there is no justification for any attempt to disenfranchise voters.”
Related: What you need to know about voting in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Damage was more extensive at the ballot drop site in Vancouver. Officials say a fire broke out in a ballot box at the Fishers Landing Transit Center around 4 a.m., destroying hundreds of ballots. Vancouver police found a suspicious device with the box. The box was equipped with a fire suppression system that failed to work.
The fire in Washington took place at the heart of one of the nation’s most closely watched congressional districts. U.S. Rep. Mary Glossenkamp-Perez, the Democratic incumbent in a close race with Rep. Joe Kent, issued a statement saying that “political violence or interference in our democracy against our fellow citizens, election workers, or voting infrastructure is unacceptable.” There is absolutely zero room for that.” Gluesenkamp Perez said she is requesting an overnight law enforcement presence “at all ballot drop boxes” in Clark County.
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said that anyone who sent an email to the Fishers Landing drop box, 3510 SE 164th Ave. But, who dropped off a ballot between 11 a.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Monday, he or she should contact the Clark County Elections Office for a replacement ballot.
“The sooner they contact us, the better,” Kimsey said.
Kimsey, now in his 26th year as an election official, said he had not seen attacks on ballot boxes in previous elections. But this year has already brought two.
Two weeks ago, what Kimsey called a “suspicious device” damaged the outside of a different Dropbox within the county. No belt was damaged in this case.
Kimsey said that in light of the vandalism, Clark County will receive ballots more often from drop boxes.
The FBI confirmed in a statement Monday morning that it is investigating two fires that broke out Monday. At a Portland press conference Monday afternoon, investigators said the three activities were likely connected.
Editor’s note: Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. Stay informed with OPB about presidential races, key congressional battles and other local contests and ballot measures in Oregon and Southwest Washington. opb.org/elections.