October 29th 2024.
The recent events of incendiary devices being set off at two ballot drop boxes, one in Portland and another in nearby Vancouver, Washington, have caused quite a stir in the community. It's a shocking and concerning situation, especially with the US election day just around the corner. The destruction of hundreds of ballots has been labeled by officials as a "direct attack on democracy," and rightfully so.
The first incident occurred in the early morning at the drop box in Portland. Thankfully, the fire was quickly extinguished thanks to the suppression system inside the box and the nearby security guard. Only three ballots were damaged in this incident. However, just a few hours later, another fire was discovered at a transit center drop box in Vancouver, across the Columbia River.
Vancouver is the largest city in Washington's 3rd Congressional District, where a closely contested US House race is taking place between Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent. The ballot box in Vancouver also had a fire suppression system, but unfortunately, it failed to prevent the destruction of hundreds of ballots. The elected auditor of Clark County, Greg Kimsey, expressed his disappointment and urged anyone who had dropped off their ballots at the transit center box after 11 am on Saturday to contact his office for a replacement ballot.
The severity of the situation is not lost on officials, with Kimsey stating that it is a "direct attack on democracy." In response, the office will be increasing collection frequency and changing collection times to the evening to prevent similar incidents from happening overnight when the risk is higher. It's a heartbreaking situation, and it's clear that something needs to be done to prevent such attacks on our democratic process.
Ballot drop boxes have faced criticism from Republicans and have been the target of baseless right-wing conspiracy theories in recent years. These theories have been tied to former President Donald Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. However, an Associated Press survey found no widespread issues with drop boxes in 2020 that could have affected the results.
Sadly, since 2020, six states have banned ballot drop boxes, while others have restricted their use. However, Washington and Oregon, both vote-by-mail states, have been using them for a long time without any major issues. At a news conference in Portland, authorities revealed that the incendiary devices used in the recent fires were connected and also linked to a previous incident on October 8th, where a device was placed at a different ballot drop box in Vancouver. Fortunately, no ballots were damaged in that incident.
Surveillance images captured a Volvo pulling up to the drop box in Portland before a fire was discovered inside. The FBI is also involved in the investigation. The fire suppression systems in both Washington and Oregon are designed to activate when the temperature inside reaches a certain point, coating the ballots with a fire-suppressing powder. While the system worked in the Portland drop box, it failed in Vancouver, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of ballots.
To prevent similar incidents, Multnomah County has contracted private security officers to patrol around the county 24 hours a day, and one of them was able to report the fire at the elections office. However, it's still unclear why the system failed in Vancouver. In response to the situation, Gluesenkamp Perez has requested an overnight law enforcement presence at all ballot drop boxes in Clark County until Election Day. Her opponent, Kent, also condemned the "cowardly act of terrorism" and encouraged voters to ensure their ballots are received and counted.
Voters are advised to check the status of their ballots online and print a replacement if necessary. John Burnside, who dropped off his ballot at the Vancouver box, found out about the fire the next morning and has since requested a replacement ballot. He believes in-person voting adds an extra level of security and plans to either mail or deliver his ballot in person. In Portland, officials were able to identify the three affected voters and will be providing them with replacement ballots.
The Multnomah County sheriff's office has also increased patrols around the drop boxes, and voters have been dropping off their ballots at the new box that replaced the one that was set on fire. One voter, Pam Parnell, expressed her shock and stated that it just seems so wrong. She believes that the country has worked hard for over 200 years to have a fair voting system, and it's disheartening to see such acts of violence trying to undermine it.
Governor Tina Kotek and Secretary of State Steve Hobbs have both denounced the incidents and have made it clear that voter intimidation and any criminal acts aimed at disrupting the election will not be tolerated. It's a sad reality that we have to face, but rest assured, law enforcement is doing everything in their power to find those responsible and ensure a safe and fair election.
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