As Election Day approaches, incidents of ballots being set on fire have been reported in three states. Federal authorities have noted an uptick in social media posts encouraging the sabotage of ballot drop boxes.
In Oregon, early Monday, Portland police responded to a fire in a ballot drop box caused by what they described as “an incendiary device.” The Multnomah County Elections Division confirmed that three ballots were damaged, although a fire suppression system in the box protected most ballots.
Shortly thereafter, a similar incident occurred in Vancouver, Washington, where a ballot drop box was ignited. Officials reported that “hundreds” of ballots were severely damaged due to the failure of its fire suppression system. Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey informed NPR that a significant portion of the ballots was either destroyed or badly damaged and that his office plans to increase the frequency of ballot retrievals.
Portland police believe the two incidents may be linked, with Kimsey describing the events as a “direct attack on democracy.”
Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are investigating the incidents in both states. Election officials are urging voters who dropped their ballots at the affected boxes over the weekend to reach out to ensure their votes are counted.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs labeled these acts as “terrorism” and reminded voters to verify if their ballots were marked as returned. He also encouraged them to print replacement ballots or vote in person if necessary.
U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, representing Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, called for increased security around drop boxes, especially given the competitive political climate, as she won her previous election by a narrow margin. Her opponent, Republican Joe Kent, condemned the arson as “a cowardly act of domestic terrorism.”
In a separate incident in Arizona, 35-year-old Dieter Klofkorn confessed to setting fire to a USPS mailbox on October 24, claiming he wanted to be arrested and had no political motivations related to the election.
Oregon and Washington primarily utilize mail-in voting and drop boxes, while a significant portion of voters in Arizona also return ballots using these methods. Ballot drop boxes have faced scrutiny and conspiracy theories regarding their security since the 2020 election cycle.
Max Read, a senior research manager for the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, noted that misinformation about security measures surrounding ballot drop boxes persists. He emphasized that isolated incidents like these arsons should not undermine public trust in the generally secure voting methods.
In September, the Department of Homeland Security highlighted concerns about ballot drop boxes being perceived as “soft targets,” based on discussions among domestic extremists online.
Overall, hundreds of ballots have been impacted across these incidents, mainly in Washington. As of recent reports, nearly three million votes have been cast in Washington, Oregon, and Arizona combined.