The police in the states of Oregon, Washington, and Arizona are investigating the intentional arson of several ballot boxes that were set on fire with hundreds of early voting ballots inside, just over a week before the election.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have already begun investigations into a series of incendiary devices placed in early voting drop boxes that aim to disrupt the democratic process.
On October 28, the Portland police in Oregon announced the opening of an investigation after discovering an incendiary device in a ballot box in the Central City area.
Fortunately, the fire suppression system installed in the ballot box prevented most of the ballots from being damaged, limiting the impact to only three affected ballots.
Tim Scott, the election director of Multnomah County, confirmed that the three affected voters will be contacted to provide them with replacement ballots.
Almost simultaneously, another similar attack was reported in Vancouver, Washington. There, a ballot box was found "smoking and on fire," according to local police.
Images are circulating on social media showing agents attempting to extinguish the fire while rescuing ballots from the mailbox. Although it is unclear how many ballots were destroyed in this second attack, the election officials in Clark County believe the number could be significant.
Authorities have not yet determined whether the two incidents are related, although the temporal and geographical proximity of the attacks suggests a possible connection, according to U.S. media reports.
Investigations in Portland revealed the presence of a "suspicious vehicle" seen near the location, a black or dark-colored Volvo S-60, missing its front license plate. Portland Deputy Police Chief Amanda McMillan emphasized concern over these actions, noting that they appear to have "the intention of affecting the electoral process."
Increased surveillance following attacks in Arizona
On October 24, in the state of Arizona, two individuals were arrested for setting fire to a mailbox containing early voting ballots in the suburbs of Phoenix.
Following that attack, which resulted in about 20 damaged ballots, Maricopa County—crucial in the elections due to its large population—is under special scrutiny for the potential impact it could have on the results.
In light of the context surrounding these incidents, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs was categorical in condemning the attacks and stated: "We take the safety of our election workers very seriously and will not tolerate threats or acts of violence that seek to undermine the democratic process."
In the same vein, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, Secretary of State of Oregon, emphasized that an attack on the polls "is an attack on our democracy and entirely unacceptable."
Federal concern and security warnings
The DHS and the FBI have issued bulletins warning of potential election-related violence, particularly from extremist groups that might view polling places as “attractive targets” to express their grievances.
According to a DHS assessment from September, "domestic violent extremists with anti-government or anti-authoritarian motives" are considered the primary threat to security surrounding the elections.
"The United States remains in an environment of intensified and dynamic threats," a DHS spokesperson told VOA, adding that the department continues to work alongside local and federal agencies to assess and mitigate emerging threats.
At a recent press conference, Jessica Vega Pederson, president of Multnomah County, stated that the damaged ballot box in Portland has been replaced and patrols in areas where the ballot boxes are located will be increased to prevent further attacks.
This measure will be replicated in Vancouver, particularly in the Washington Congressional District, where Democratic representative Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez has requested additional surveillance until election day.
Following the recent events, some voters believe that opting for early voting was not a good idea. This is the opinion of the Cuban-origin comedy duo Los Pichy Boys, among others.
"If you ask me today, I think it was a mistake to vote early; I gave them two weeks to do whatever they want with my vote. It's sad to see everything that's happening. Let people choose and may the deserving winner prevail, may America and Democracy win. Vote on election day, don't give them time to create strategies," they wrote this Tuesday on Instagram.
What do you think?
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