By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Police in Oregon and Washington responded Monday morning to incidents involving incendiary devices placed in ballot drop boxes, resulting in fires and ballot damage in both states. Around 3:30 a.m. in Portland, a fire was reported near the Multnomah County Elections office, where three ballots were damaged. Just thirty minutes later, police in Vancouver, Washington, were called to a similar incident, where hundreds of ballots were destroyed.
In response to these incidents, King County Elections officials in Washington moved to reassure voters about the safety of ballot boxes in the state. Officials emphasized that King County’s drop boxes are constructed with reinforced steel and equipped with fire-suppression mechanisms to prevent damage if flames occur.
“The drop box itself is 1,000 pounds of steel, bolted into the ground, with a very small slot for ballots,” said King County Elections Chief of Staff Kendall Hodson. “I think it’s scary for our voters,” she added. “It’s scary for our staff.”
Hodson noted that King County has taken precautions against potential acts of voter interference, underscoring the state’s commitment to election security. She also explained that King County ballot boxes contain two fire-stopping mechanisms designed to quash flames on contact.
“The really good news is that Washington State and King County are really well prepared for situations like this,” Hodson said.
“[Each ballot box has] a fire stop inside,” Hodson said. “There are two of them. So, if anything goes into that drop box in King County, it’s going to have essentially a fire extinguisher response to make sure those flames are quelled, and we don’t lose any ballots.”
In Clark County, Washington, officials confirmed that their ballot boxes also have fire suppression systems, but during Monday’s incident, the system “didn’t work as expected” in the Vancouver drop box, leading to significant ballot loss.
Washington’s Secretary of State Office (SOS) received reports of the suspected incendiary device in Vancouver’s ballot box. Local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI’s Portland division and the Vancouver Police Department, responded promptly and are currently investigating.
Tampering with a ballot drop box is a Class C felony in Washington, punishable by up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. Clark County officials are working to ensure any affected voters receive replacement ballots in time for the 2024 general election.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs condemned the attacks, emphasizing the importance of election security and protecting election workers from harm.
“We take the safety of our election workers seriously and will not tolerate threats or acts of violence that seek to undermine the democratic process,” Hobbs stated. “I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections in Washington state. Despite this incident, I have complete confidence in our county elections officials’ ability to keep Washington’s elections safe and secure for all voters.”
Voters in Washington can track their ballot status online at VoteWA.gov. If a ballot is not marked as “received,” voters can print a replacement ballot online or visit their local elections office for assistance.