As Election Day approaches, ballot drop boxes in three states have been set on fire, damaging hundreds of ballots. Recently, social media has seen posts from people encouraging damage to these ballot boxes.
Early Monday morning in Portland, Oregon, police responded to a fire caused by an incendiary device inside a ballot drop box. The Multnomah County Elections Division reported that three ballots were damaged, but most were protected by a fire suppressant inside the box.
Later that day, a ballot drop box in Vancouver, Washington, was also set on fire. This time, the fire suppression system failed, causing severe damage to hundreds of ballots. Many were completely destroyed, while others were very wet. In response, local officials are emptying drop boxes more frequently to reduce the time ballots sit inside.
Police believe the two incidents may be connected. Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, who has held his position for 26 years, called the incident “heartbreaking” and described it as an “attack on democracy.” The FBI and local police are investigating, and election officials are asking anyone who dropped off ballots in these locations to contact them to ensure their votes are counted.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs condemned these acts and encouraged voters to check if their ballot was received online. If needed, they can get a replacement ballot or vote in person.
In a separate incident last week in Phoenix, Arizona, a man named Dieter Klofkorn set fire to a Postal Service mailbox, saying he wanted to be arrested and that it was unrelated to the election.
Oregon and Washington rely on mail and drop box voting, and nearly all Arizona voters vote early by mail or drop box. Since 2020, ballot drop boxes have been the target of conspiracy theories questioning their security. Max Read, a researcher on election disinformation, explained that these false ideas about drop box security can spread quickly, even though most boxes have fire suppressants and video surveillance for safety.
The Department of Homeland Security noted that ballot drop boxes are sometimes seen as “soft targets” for individuals with election-related grievances. Similar incidents happened in 2020, with ballot drop boxes set on fire in Los Angeles and Boston, damaging dozens of ballots.
Despite these isolated incidents, experts urge voters to trust the system. Most ballot drop boxes are safe, secure, and carefully monitored. As of Monday, nearly three million votes have been cast in Washington, Oregon, and Arizona, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.
Early Monday morning in Portland, Oregon, police responded to a fire caused by an incendiary device inside a ballot drop box. The Multnomah County Elections Division reported that three ballots were damaged, but most were protected by a fire suppressant inside the box.
Later that day, a ballot drop box in Vancouver, Washington, was also set on fire. This time, the fire suppression system failed, causing severe damage to hundreds of ballots. Many were completely destroyed, while others were very wet. In response, local officials are emptying drop boxes more frequently to reduce the time ballots sit inside.
Police believe the two incidents may be connected. Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, who has held his position for 26 years, called the incident “heartbreaking” and described it as an “attack on democracy.” The FBI and local police are investigating, and election officials are asking anyone who dropped off ballots in these locations to contact them to ensure their votes are counted.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs condemned these acts and encouraged voters to check if their ballot was received online. If needed, they can get a replacement ballot or vote in person.
In a separate incident last week in Phoenix, Arizona, a man named Dieter Klofkorn set fire to a Postal Service mailbox, saying he wanted to be arrested and that it was unrelated to the election.
Oregon and Washington rely on mail and drop box voting, and nearly all Arizona voters vote early by mail or drop box. Since 2020, ballot drop boxes have been the target of conspiracy theories questioning their security. Max Read, a researcher on election disinformation, explained that these false ideas about drop box security can spread quickly, even though most boxes have fire suppressants and video surveillance for safety.
The Department of Homeland Security noted that ballot drop boxes are sometimes seen as “soft targets” for individuals with election-related grievances. Similar incidents happened in 2020, with ballot drop boxes set on fire in Los Angeles and Boston, damaging dozens of ballots.
Despite these isolated incidents, experts urge voters to trust the system. Most ballot drop boxes are safe, secure, and carefully monitored. As of Monday, nearly three million votes have been cast in Washington, Oregon, and Arizona, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.
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